Baltimore, MD: Nuclear Ship Savannah

(HAER; Satellite)

As part of President Eisenhower's 1953 Atoms For Peace initiative, the Nautalus Nuclear Submarine, the NS Savannah cargo/passenger ship and the Shippingport Atomic Power Station were built. Nuclear submarines and power stations proved successful. But this was the only nuclear merchant ship that was built.

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"She operated from 1962 to 1965 in experimental service, at which time the AEC issued her commercial operating license number NS-1. Savannah continued in demonstration service as a cargo ship until 1970 when she ended her active career. She was defueled in 1971 and her reactor made permanently inoperable in 1975-76." [maritime-virtualtour]

Significance: As stated in the N. S. Savannah National Historic Landmark nomination, the ship is significant as the world’s first application of nuclear power to a commercial ship; and as the structure most associated with President Eisenhower’s Atoms for Peace initiative. The combination passenger/cargo ship demonstrated to the world the safe and reliable operation of this new technology, resulted in the establishing of a nuclear ship training program for civilian crew members, established procedures for commercial nuclear ships to enter domestic and foreign ports, and identified a series of issues which would require resolution in a second generation of commercial nuclear ships (disputes over crew pay scales, liability, and commercial viability). In addition to its important role in maritime history, Savannah served a unique public relations role as a floating exhibit on the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

In recognition of the significance of this vessel, the Savannah has been desig nated a National Historic Landmark, an International Mechanical Engineering Landmark, and a Nuclear Engineering Landmark. 

[HAER-data]

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HAER DC-64-136 (CT)
Top portion of reduction gearbox, with turbines in background, looking forward on upper level of engine room. - Nuclear Ship Savannah, Various Ports operated by the U.S. Maritime Administration, Washington, District of Columbia, DC

Bob Adams posted six photos with the comment: "Hey, it's a powerplant. The PWR vessel head being removed from NS Savannah yesterday....74 MW PWR driving the propulsion turbine and 2 electric generators. There are 2 EMD diesels for back up."

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[One advantage of being in a ship is that it is easy to use a marine crane for the lift.]

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"This is a section of the of the collision mat and containment vessel shell that was removed [to provide easy access for workers during the decommissioning]. Starting from the left, you see the curved shell of the containment followed by a layer of concrete. Next comes alternating layers of steel and Redwood. As you can imagine, it was quite a job to cut this out, a diamond studded cable was used to make the cut."