Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri and class society RINA have signed an agreement with Newcleo, a UK-headquartered firm with operations in Italy developing innovative generation IV reactors using nuclear waste as fuel
The agreement will see all three companies combine their expertise and experience to carry out a feasibility study for nuclear applications to the shipping industry, including Newcleo’s lead-cooled small modular reactor (SMR) technology.
The deployment of Newcleo’s lead-cooled fast reactor (LFR) for naval propulsion would involve placing a closed mini reactor on vessels as a small nuclear battery producing a 30-MW electric output. This would only require refuelling once every 10-15 years and limited maintenance.
Last week, IMO approve new targets for reducing greenhouse gases (GHG) at the recently concluded MEPC 80. While the shipping industry still carries 90% of the world’s goods, and the fourth IMO GHG Study 2020 confirms its carbon dioxide emissions are less than 3% of the total global man-made CO2 emissions, the actions of the big players of this industry have the potential to drive trends and markets.
Nuclear propulsion has a long history from the days of the Cold War. In the 1960s, the United States built NS Savannah, a civilian ship that was primarily a demonstration vessel. The usual problems have dogged commercial uptake – namely the costs of specialised infrastructure. There is also the issue of securing insurance with liabilities for any potential accident spanning national boundaries.
Newcleo claims its design is safer, with the liquid lead inside the reactor solidifying as it cools down in contact with the cold water, enclosing the reactor core in a solid casing, preventing radiation from affecting marine life in the event of an accident thanks to the shielding properties of lead.
According to the partners, Newcleo naval propulsion reactors would eliminate the current need for frequent refuelling. And at the end of its life, the whole LFR unit would simply be removed and replaced with a new one in the ship, with the spent unit taken away for decommissioning and reprocessing.
Newcleo chief executive and chairman Stefano Buono said, “I am delighted we are launching a project for civil nuclear naval propulsion with this important feasibility study.
Fincantieri and RINA are two global leaders in the shipping sector, and combining their expertise with our technology innovation can bring a real solution to the issue of carbon emissions in maritime transport. I look forward to the results of the feasibility study and the next steps of the project.”
Fincantieri chief executive and general manager Pierroberto Folgiero added, “Today, Fincantieri reaffirms its vocation to be a pioneer and catalyst for progress in the maritime sector with cutting-edge, efficient and sustainable technologies. Indeed, the agreement allows us to explore the possibility of adding a new and visionary solution among those at our disposal to achieve the ambitious decarbonisation goals the industry has set for itself.”
“Nuclear power holds enormous potential and, as such, it needs the best expertise to be expressed, and we are proud to join with partners like Newcleo and RINA to help get this done.”
RINA chairman and chief executive Ugo Salerno said, "To reach the targets fixed for this industry, we need alternative fuels with low carbon content from well to waste. Nuclear will be one of the answers to these objectives. In addition, small modular reactors will be the most efficient solution to apply nuclear to shipping. We are proud to co-operate with Newcleo and Fincantieri to make feasible, as soon as possible, the implementation of SMRs on vessels.”
Riviera’s two-day Maritime Decarbonisation, Europe: Conference, Awards & Exhibition 2023 returns to Amsterdam on 26-27 September 2023, seeking to bring clarity to regulatory directions and decarbonisation pathways for both newbuilds and existing vessels
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