Monday December 07, 2009

COSCO CEO Wei Jiafu advocates nuclear power for cargo ships

peakoil.com -> seatradeasia-online.com :

In an extraordinary question and answer session in Shanghai the boss of the world's largest shipping conglomerate has advocated the use of nuclear power onboard merchant ships. Outlining the container alliance CKYH's decision to push ahead with super slow steaming, COSCO CEO and President Capt Wei Jiafu said that the move was in part a green one. He then went on to say that he was in favour of using nuclear power onboard merchant ships as a further green initiative. 'As they are already onboard submarines, why not cargo ships?' he mused. Later he spoke to Seatrade Asia Online and revealed COSCO is in talks with the national nuclear authorities to develop nuclear powered ships.

- This is interesting from a peakoiler point of view. It was something that has been brought up time and again in peak oil discusions and every time the naysayers would pop up and say that it is too expensive, impractical and there would always be the nuclear waste issue. But now with the CEO of one of the world's largest shipping companies which operates the 6th largest cargo shipping fleet bringing this issue up and reportedly already in talks regarding development, this brings the issue from a theoretical exercise to something that may actually see implementation.

It would not be the first time that this concept has surfaced though. Back in the 1960's there was the NS Savannah, one of four nuclear-powered cargo ships ever built, all within the 1960's to 70's period. In the decades that followed, only navy nuclear power would see any progress in development, primarily with US aircraft carriers and submarines, many of whose reactors were supplied by a separate subsidiary of a company I used to work for. So now, with oil prices up again from unrealistic lows, renewable energy and alternative energy are apparently back in the limelight once again, and it might be refreshing to see the Chinese take a leading role in the area of marine green power.

See also :

1. Asia going nuclear amid rising oil prices, global warming concerns
2. China's nuclear energy plants to power up
3. Developing countries eye nuclear power: report
4. Slow Down For Peak Oil : Airplanes, ships, cars ease off throttle to save fuel
5. US Navy charters new breed of kite-powered sailing cargo ship

(2009-12-07 12:56:33 SGT) [Energy] Permalink

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