Nuclear-Powered LNG Carriers May Cost More to Build, but Could Offer Long-Term Fuel Savings
A new study suggests that building a nuclear-powered LNG carrier could cost roughly 2.5 times more than a conventional vessel, but lower fuel costs over the ship's operating life might offset this initial investment.
The study, supported by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), examined a 174,000-cubic-meter LNG carrier equipped with a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) under development by Japan's Blossom Energy. The HTGR-powered vessel would require significant design changes, including locating the reactor toward the stern and placing batteries in areas normally occupied by fuel tanks.
The researchers found that while the initial investment for the nuclear-powered vessel would be approximately 2.5 times that of a conventional LNG carrier, lower fuel costs over the longer term could potentially improve the economics of the vessel's service life. The study also explored treating the reactor as a long-term energy asset rather than equipment permanently tied to a single ship.