Nuclear shipping: it can decarbonize cargo hauls but mustn’t fall victim to US-China geopolitical rivalry
The economics are yet to be proven, but could be compelling. Nuclear ships can steam far quicker than conventional ones, which typically slow down to conserve fuel. By a rough calculation, an atomic vessel moving at 25 knots could in theory carry 50% more containers between Rotterdam and Shanghai than a conventional one at 16 knots. Nuclear vessels might cost significantly more, but an operator would need far fewer of them, potentially bringing down its cost per container.
