Naval nuclear reactor manufacturer BWX Technologies has teamed with shipping company Crowley to develop a nuclear-powered concept ship for defense and disaster relief the company announced Sept. 20 on its website.
Crowley signed a memorandum of understanding with BWX’s Advanced Technologies subsidiary that will allow both companies to jointly develop new shallow-draft-hull ships that can supply small-scale nuclear energy to shore in expeditionary combat scenarios or in the aftermath of a natural disaster, according to BWX.
“The new ships would feature the latest technology available for factory fabricated microreactors, readily deployed into a shipyard configuration for ease of installation on the vessel,” BWX said in a statement. “The onboard power plant would supply energy to shore facilities, such as military bases in remote island locations, backup utility grids after disasters, and provide power in other scenarios where traditional electricity sources are damaged or not possible.”
BWX builds the nuclear reactors that power the Navy’s submarines and aircraft carriers. These new deployable microreactors would be smaller than the reactors that power those vessels.
Aside from traditional propulsion systems, the 378-foot emergency ship would also carry a reactor capable of generating between 5 and 50 megawatts, BWX said.
“Our cooperation with BWXT will move Crowley for the first time into the nuclear energy sector, a key part of our commitment to sustainable, alternative energy sources,” said Shiju Zacharia, senior vice president and general manager of Crowley Government Solutions. “This concept supports the U.S. Department of Energy’s goal of maintaining U.S. leadership in nuclear energy technology as well as many of the U.S. Department of Defense’s strategic goals for operational energy.”
