NS Savannah was the first nuclear-powered merchant ship, launched on July 21, 1959, two years after the Soviet ice-breaker Lenin, the first nuclear-powered civilian vessel. A demonstration project for the potential peacetime uses of nuclear energy,[4] she was built in the late 1950s at a cost of $46.9 million (including a $28.3 million nuclear reactor and fuel core). Savannah was given the new designation "NS" for "Nuclear Ship", replacing the traditional commercial vessel prefix "SS" for "Screw Steamer", and was named after SS Savannah, the first steamship to cross the Atlantic ocean. She was funded by United States government agencies as part of President Dwight D. Eisenhower's 1955 "Atoms for Peace" program, and was in service between 1962 and 1972 as one of only four nuclear-powered cargo ships ever built.[2]
Savannah was deactivated in 1971 and after several moves was moored at Pier 13 of the Canton Marine Terminal in Baltimore, Maryland in 2008.[5]
Origin
In 1955, President Dwight D. Eisenhower proposed building a nuclear-powered merchant ship as a showcase for his "Atoms for Peace" initiative.[6] The next year, the United States Congress authorized Savannah as a joint project of the Atomic Energy Commission, the Maritime Administration (MARAD), and the Department of Commerce.[7]
She was designed by George G. Sharp, Incorporated, of New York City. Her keel was laid down by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation at Camden, New Jersey. Her nuclear reactor was manufactured by Babcock & Wilcox. She was christened by U.S. First Lady Mamie Eisenhower at the ship's launching on July 21, 1959.[6]
In 1969, Savannah became the first nuclear-powered ship to dock in New York City. She was a centerpiece for a citywide information festival called "Nuclear Week In New York". Thousands of people toured Savannah and attended related special events. These included demonstrations of advancements in peaceful uses of atomic energy, such as food products preserved by radiation, new applications for technology and many information and education programs. The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson featured "Nuclear Week In New York" on two programs. Dr. Glenn T. Seaborg, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, was the featured speaker and President Eisenhower was honoured for his introduction of the global Atoms for Peace program. The appearance of Savannah and the Nuclear Week festival program was designed and implemented by Charles Yulish Associates and supported by contributions from leading energy companies.
Concept
Eisenhower desired a "peace ship" that would serve as an ambassador for the peaceful use of atomic power. According to an Eisenhower administration statement to Congress, "The President seeks no return on this vessel except the goodwill of men everywhere ... Neither will the vessel be burdened by proving itself commercially feasible by carrying goods exclusively."[8] Although initial proposals used a copy of USS Nautilus (SSN-571)'s power plant, a conscious decision was made to design a propulsion system to commercial design standards with no connection to military programs.[8]
George G. Sharp, Inc., a prominent naval architecture firm in New York City founded in 1920, was responsible for all of Savannah's design but the Babcock & Wilcox nuclear reactor. Savannah was the sixth large ship to have fin stabilizers, intended to enhance the safety of the reactor and improve passenger comfort. Since the reactor occupied the center of the ship and required clear overhead crane access during refueling, the superstructure was set far back on the hull. The raked, teardrop-shaped superstructure was specifically designed by George G. Sharp's ship design consultant Jack Heaney and Associates of Wilton, Connecticut, for a futuristic appearance, decorated with stylized atom graphics on either side. Heaney was responsible for the interiors, which featured sleek modern "Atomic Age" styling.[8]
Description
Savannah measures 596 ft in length and 78 ft in beam, with a loaded draft of 29 ft, and a loaded displacement of 21800 ST. Savannah was built with seven cargo holds, a reactor compartment and a machinery compartment, making nine water-tight compartments. There are three full decks. The reactor compartment is located near the center of the ship, with the superstructure just aft of the reactor top to allow the reactor to be refuelled. Holds 1 through 4 are forward of the superstructure, with cargo handling gear between 1 and 2 and between 3 and 4. Cargo hold 5 is served by side ports, as it is located beneath the swimming pool. Holds 6 and 7 are aft of the superstructure.[8]
The topmost deck of the superstructure comprises the pilothouse, radio room, chart room, a battery room and an emergency diesel generator. The next lower deck comprises the officers' accommodations, with an officers' lounge at the tapering rear portion of the superstructure. Below this level is the promenade deck comprising, from forward aft, the elliptical main lounge, the main stair and elevator, and the Veranda Lounge. The bar was provided with enclosed walkways outboard, and a glass wall overlooking the swimming pool and promenade deck aft. A dance floor was provided in the center of the lounge, surrounded by tables with illuminated glass tops. The back bar features a glass and metal sculptural interpretation of the periodic table of the elements.[8]
"A" Deck is the first full deck level, with cargo handling facilities fore and aft. Deck surfaces have been retrofitted with cargo container anchors. The interior of "A" Deck contains the main lobby and purser's office, the infirmary, barber, beautician and steward's facilities, as well as the health physics laboratory intended to monitor the effects of the nuclear reactor.
Economics of nuclear propulsion
Savannah was a demonstration of the technical feasibility of nuclear propulsion for merchant ships and was not expected to be commercially competitive. She was designed to be visually impressive, looking more like a luxury yacht than a bulk cargo vessel, and was equipped with thirty air-conditioned staterooms, each with an individual bathroom, a dining facility for 100 passengers, a lounge that could double as a movie theatre, a veranda, a swimming pool and a library. Even her cargo-handling equipment was designed to look good. By many measures, the ship was a success. She performed well at sea, her safety record was impressive, and her gleaming white paint was never smudged by exhaust smoke, except when running the diesel generator. From 1965 to 1971, the Maritime Administration leased Savannah to American Export-Isbrandtsen Lines for revenue cargo service.
However, Savannah's cargo space was limited to 8500 ST of freight in 652000 cuft. Many of her competitors could accommodate several times as much. Her streamlined hull made loading the forward holds laborious, which became a significant disadvantage as ports became more and more automated. Her crew was a third larger than comparable oil-fired ships and received special training in addition to that required for conventional maritime licenses. Because of these special licensing requirements, the Maritime Administration established a Nuclear Engineer Program at the United States Merchant Marine Academy to provide officers specifically trained in nuclear marine engineering.[11]
Additionally, labour disputes erupted over a disparity in pay scales between deck officers and nuclear engineering officers. The pay issue continued to be a problem, so the Maritime Administration canceled its contract with States Marine Lines and selected American Export-Isbrandtsen Lines as the new ship operator.
Nuclear refueling, waste disposal and decommissioning
During her initial year of operation, Savannah released over 115,000 USgal of very low-level radioactive waste at sea,[12] having substantially exceeded her storage capacity of 10000 USgal. The Nuclear Servicing Vessel Atomic Servant was built to receive waste from Savannah. The unpowered barge featured a fuel storage pit for a replacement fuel and control rod assembly, lined by 12 in of lead. Atomic Servant was made available to service Savannah anywhere in the world.[8]
The radioactive primary coolant loop water was removed at the time of shut-down, as were some of the more radioactive components within the reactor system. The secondary loop water was removed at the same time. Residual radioactivity in 1976 was variously estimated as between 60000 and 168,000 Ci, mostly iron 55 (2.4-year half-life) and cobalt 60 (5.2-year half-life).[8] By 2005, the residual radioactivity had declined to 4,800 Ci.[13] Residual radiation in 2011 was stated to be very low. The reactor and the ship will be regulated until 2031.[14]
Service history
After christening on July 21, 1959, it took another 2 1/2 years to complete the reactor installation and initial trials before the ship was moved to Yorktown, Virginia, under temporary oil-fired power, where the reactor was started and tested. Full reactor power was achieved in April 1962. Savannah was delivered on May 1, 1962, to the Maritime Administration and turned over to her operators, the States Marine Lines. On her maiden voyage beginning on August 20, 1962, Savannah undertook demonstrations, first sailing to Savannah, her home port. During this trip a faulty instrument initiated a reactor shutdown, which was misreported as a major accident in the press. From there she passed through the Panama Canal and visited Hawaii and ports on the west coast of the United States, becoming a popular exhibit for three weeks at the Century 21 Exposition in Seattle. By early 1963, she arrived in Galveston, Texas, for repair and system checks. There, a dispute over the compensation of nuclear-qualified engineering officers led to a reactor shutdown and strike by the nuclear engineering crew. The contract with States Marine Lines was canceled and a new operator, American Export-Isbrandtsen Lines, was selected, requiring a new crew to be trained. This involved a switch to non-union crew, which became a lingering issue in the staffing of proposed future nuclear ships.[8]
By 1964, Savannah started a tour of the US Gulf and east coast ports under the command of captain Gaston R. De Groote.[15] During the summer she crossed the Atlantic for the first time, visiting
Museum ship
In 1981, Savannah was obtained via bareboat charter for display at the Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum near Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Although the museum had use of the vessel, ownership of Savannah remained with the Maritime Administration, and the Patriots Point Development Authority had to be designated a "co-licensee" for the ship's reactor. Periodic radiological inspections were also necessary to ensure the continued safety of the ship. Once Savannah was open for display, visitors could tour the ship's cargo holds, view the engine room from an observation area, look into staterooms and passenger areas, and walk the ship's decks.
The museum had hoped to recondition and improve the ship's public spaces for visitors, but these plans never materialized. Savannah never drew the visitors that the museum's other ships, notably the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown (CV-10), did. When a periodic MARAD inspection in 1993 indicated a need to dry dock Savannah, Patriots Point and the Maritime Administration agreed to terminate the ship's charter in 1994. The ship was moved from the museum and dry docked in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1994 for repairs, after which she was moved to the James River Merchant Marine Reserve Fleet near Newport News, Virginia.
The Maritime Administration had not yet funded decommissioning and removal of the ship's nuclear systems. Savannah had undergone work at Colonna's Shipyard of Norfolk, Virginia, beginning August 15, 2006. That $995,000 job included exterior structural and lighting repairs, removing shipboard cranes and wiring, refurbishing water-damaged interior spaces, and removing mold, mildew, and painting some of the interior. On January 30, 2007, she was towed to Pier 23, which is owned by the City of Newport News.[13]
Historic designation
Savannah was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 14, 1982.[18] She was designated a National Historic Landmark on July 17, 1991,[19] in advance of the customary fifty-year age requirement because of her exceptional national significance as one of the most visible and intact examples of the Atoms for Peace program.[8]
See also
- Nuclear marine propulsion § Civilian nuclear ships
- Nuclear power
- United States Merchant Marine Academy
Further reading
- Björn Landström. Skeppet, 1961, saknar
- Robert Jackson. Liners, Tankers & Merchant Ships, 2002, ISBN 1-84013-477-1
External links
- NS Savannah website
- NS Savannah Association (archived October 13, 2012)
- NS Savannah Association
- NS Savannah at the U.S. Maritime Administration
- , including photo from 1996, at Maryland Historical Trust
- Nuclear Ship Savannah historical marker
- LIFE Magazine Jun. 14, 1963 early design problems and labor dispute
References
- NS Savannah Virtual Office of Acquisition, United States Maritime Administration, retrieved March 16, 2008^
- Micke Asklander. N/S Savannah (1962) Fakta om Fartyg, retrieved February 7, 2008^
- Marine Nuclear Power: 1939 – 2018^