Why is nuclear-powered the standard for submarines, when not for ferry, small ships and vessels ?
In: Engineering
There have actually been four different commercial nuclear powered ships. And a fifth is under construction. But these were all considered research vessels on the feasibility. They all had issues getting permissions to visit harbors and are even not allowed through the Suez canal. In addition you need a lot more time to design the ship as there are a lot more design reviews and certifications. There are also lots of additional safety systems needed including more personnel to manage the reactor and machinery spaces.
The most successful nuclear ships for commercial shipping have been Soviet built ice breakers. These operate in areas with limited refueling capability and require a lot more power then normal ships. In emergencies they might not get refueled at all for months. So even though they are more expensive to operate then a diesel vessels this expense are justified. Even after the fall of the Soviet Union we have continued building these ships. One is about to launch later this year while another two have started construction.
China have announced the construction of a nuclear powered large container ship. If they are successful in proving the concept with new technology and new views on nuclear safety then this might start a change in commercial shipping today away from diesel and over to nuclear power.
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