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Feature
Crew lists will need to be
“enriched” with
“nuclear scientists”
Panos Deligiannis believes that nuclear energy offers
a viable pathway to decarbonisation and asserts
that a unified global regulatory framework would
accelerate the adoption of nuclear-powered ships.
Can nuclear-powered ships help the tion, requires no maintenance, and does
industry meet the IMO decarbon- not, or rarely requires, refuelling. It has
isation targets by 2050? What unlimited commercial scope, allowing
are the pros and cons of nuclear for increased payload.
propulsion systems compared to The main disadvantages are related to
conventional ones? radiation risk and concerns about pro-
I strongly believe in nuclear-powered liferation. Additionally, a regulatory/
shipping as a means of effective decar- licensing framework is still lacking,
bonisation. In 2020, a Joint Energy Ini- and there is uncertainty regarding the
tiative (JIP) was formed between NEDA, insurance regime. Other significant dis-
old colleagues at NCSR “DEMOKRITOS”, advantages include the complex waste
and the National Graduate School management and the appropriate infra-
of Engineering of Caen in France with structure requirements for nuclear S/Y,
the aim of investigating nuclear pro- ports, terminals, etc. Finally, the lack
Opinions expressed by pulsion for a VLCC and the types of social acceptance, as well as the sci-
Dr Panos Deligiannis, of next-generation reactors that can entific crew requirements, must be taken
Head of Shipping at ECOLOG
fit a large commercial shipping profile, into consideration.
taking into account the benefits and
drawbacks. Contrary to Joseph M. Duk- What do you think is required to drive
ert’s statement, we placed a nuclear the adoption of nuclear-pow-
reactor in a hull designed initially for ered ships: technological break-
conventional fuel; however, it served throughs, regulatory changes, or
the purpose of the initial approach. demand from charterers?
The primary advantages of a nuclear- Today, there is long experience with LWR-
powered ship are that it utilises a carbon- type thermal reactors in warships and
free fuel, which has high energy density submarines. However, the commercial-
and a minimal ecological footprint. Its isation of nuclear propulsion requires,
engine provides reliable power genera- firstly, the regulatory coupling of the
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