Greek MIT Professors Lead Development of First Nuclear Ship Safety Handbook

BOSTON – The first handbook for the safety of civilian nuclear-powered ships was published by MIT University in Boston, with the participation of two Greek professors.

Commercial shipping accounts for 3 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions globally. As the sector sets climate goals and chases a carbon-free future, nuclear power — long used as a source for military vessels — presents an enticing solution. To date, however, there has been no clear, unified public document available to guide design safety for certain components of civilian nuclear ships. A new “Nuclear Ship Safety Handbook” by the MIT Maritime Consortium aims to change that and set the standard for safe maritime nuclear propulsion.

“This handbook is a critical tool in efforts to support the adoption of nuclear in the maritime industry,” explained Themis Sapsis, the William I. Koch Professor of Mechanical Engineering at MIT, director of the MIT Centre for Ocean Engineering, and co-director of the MIT Maritime Consortium. “The goal is to provide a strong basis for initial safety on key areas that require nuclear and maritime regulatory research and development in the coming years to prepare for nuclear propulsion in the maritime industry.”

On her part, Fotini Christia, the Ford International Professor of the Social Sciences, director of the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS), and co-director of the MIT Maritime Consortium, stated: “The U.S.-U.K. nuclear shipping corridor offers a great opportunity to collaborate with legislators on establishing the critical framework that will enable the United States to invest in nuclear-powered merchant vessels — an achievement that will reestablish America in the shipbuilding space.”

Using research data and standards, combined with operational experiences during civilian maritime nuclear operations, the handbook provides unique insights into potential issues and resolutions in the design efficacy of maritime nuclear operations, a topic of growing importance on the national and international stage.

Among the Greek shipping companies participating as founding members of the consortium are Capital Clean Energy Carriers Corp. and Delos Navigation LTD. Also participating as innovation members are Navios Maritime Partners L.P. and Dorian LPG.

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