Nuclear-Powered LNG Carriers Poised to Disrupt Maritime Shipping

A new study suggests that nuclear-powered liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers could significantly change the maritime shipping industry, despite their initial cost being approximately 2.5 times higher than a conventional LNG vessel.

The joint study by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), Blossom Energy, and a global shipping company examined the potential benefits of nuclear propulsion for a 174,000-cubic-meter LNG carrier equipped with a 20-25 MWe high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) under development by the Japanese firm.

Patrick Ryan, ABS Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, commented that nuclear energy has 'the potential to fundamentally change the economics of commercial shipping' and that ABS is proud to support studies like this one that move the industry beyond theory and toward a clearer picture of what nuclear propulsion could mean in practice.

The study found that treating reactors as reusable assets could reduce fuel costs over the vessel's operating life, making the math behind nuclear-powered shipping look different. The team also assessed vessel arrangement, propulsion systems, and operating conditions against a conventional LNG-fueled newbuild.