Until now are just four nuclear-powered cargo ships built/ She is a result of the research programme lead by Erich Bagge which started in 1960 to investigate the possibilities of using nuclear energy in the Dutch merchant marine. One of the results was that on 27 November 1962 the building contract was signed, on 31 August 1963 her keel was laid down at the Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft AG of Kiel with yard number 1103, a year later was she on 14 June launched and baptized Otto Hahn. (1) Designed for transporting passengers and ore. Four years later started the sea trials resulting in a ‘go’ in October. On 11 October 1969 commissioned. Building costs 56.000.000 Mark. In 1970 begun her maiden voyage. Just nine years was she operated as a nuclear driven ship and converted into the diesel engine driven container ship Trophy. Again commissioned in 1983 was she on 19 or 30 November renamed Norasia Susan, in 1985 in Norasia Helga, until January 1989 Carmen?, in 1989 Hua Kang He, in 1998 Anais when converted into a general cargo ship, in 1999 Tai and the same year in Madre. As the Madre Liberia-flagged with as homeport Monrovia, callsign A8GI9 and IMO 6416770. Since 2006 was she property of the Liberian-based Domine Maritime Corporation and managed by the Alon Maritime Corporation, Athens, Greece until she was broken up at Alang, India in 2009. With a displacement of 16.871 (standard)-25.790 (full load) tons were her dimensions 164,3 (waterline)-172,00 (over all) x 23,4 metres and a freeboard of 5,3 metres. Her capacity was 14.040 gross register tons was 14.040 tons or 39.760 cubic metres. The 38MW reactor allowed a speed of 15,75 knots.
The Dutch newspaper Nederlands dagblad dated 19 December 1978 referred to a statement of the west German minister for techno Volker Hauff was she to be decommissioned. According to him lost she her scientific value.(2) Some months later reported another Dutch newspaper the Leeuwarder Courant dated 22 June that the intention was to break her up while according to the owners the costs were to high to keep her in service. In the beginning were other countries not amused with her visiting their harbours. The Dutch newspaper Het vrije volk dated 20 February 1971 wrote that she was now allowed to visit Rotterdam, Amsterdam and IJmuiden while there were agreements made about who was responsible for possible damage.
Notes
1. Named after the German chemist and pioneer in the radioactivity and -chemistry topics Otto Hahn (8 March 1879 Frankfurt am Maine, Prussia, Germany-28 July 1968 Göttingen, West Germany).
2. In 1976 were according to Dutch newspaper plans to replace her by a 8times stronger ship.
