Russia icebreaker Lenin
Source Van Stoom tot Atoom, 1961. Text G.A.J. Bovens-drawings G.J. Frans Naerebout
American submarine USS Nautilus
Source Van Stoom tot Atoom, 1961. Text G.A.J. Bovens-drawings G.J. Frans Naerebout
An itm reported that the first British nuclear propelled ship would be a gigantic tanker measuring between the 64.000-80.000 tons. Although the British cabinet decided not to enter the international prestige race for the first nuclear propelled ship, her desire was to have the first profitable nuclear ship. The first non-profitable nuclear ship would be possessed by the Soviet Union (1) and in London was believed that this ship would probably launched in November earlier than any American nuclear ship.(2) At that moment was the designing process of the first British nuclear propelled submarine HMS Dreadnought (3) going on and the results could be used for designing the first profitable nuclear tanker. Estimated building costs of such a tanker were 110 million Dutch guilders excluded another 10 million for the needed uranium. The engine room was to position in the middle of the ship and not in the aft ship like common tankers. Furthermore was the construction not standard while the weight of the protection against radiation was to be included. The speed was yet unknown but due to the dimensions was she to round Cape of Good Hope while she could not pass the Suez Canal. The tanker was to be completed around 1960. At the British nuclear establishment Harwell were now high ranked naval officers trained for service on board of the HMS Dreadnought. They were to become in the future engineers for the merchant fleet.
Notes
1. The first Russian nuclear merchant ship was the icebreaker Lenin, laid down in 1957, completed in 1959, decommissioned in 1989 and became a museum ship. IMO 5206087. Displacement 16.000 tons and as dimensions 134 x 27,6 x 16,1 (depth) x 10,5 metres or 440 x 91 x 53 x 34 feet. Fitted out with 2 OK-150 nuclear reactors , since 1970 2 OK-900 and 4 steam turbine generators resulting in a speed of 18 knots. Crew numbered 243 men.
2. First American nuclear merchant ship was the Savannah, building ordered in 1955, launched by New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey, USA with yard number 529 on 21 July 1959, completed in December 1961, maiden voyage begun on 20 August 1962 and decommissioned on 10 January 1972. IMO 5314793, cal sign KSAV.
3. The first British nuclear submarine was HMS Dreadnought (S101), laid down by Vickers Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness, United Kingdom on 12 June 1959, launched on 21 October 1960, commissioned on 17 April 1963 and decommissioned in 1980.
