Gold Coast based ship design group Seatransport and an unnamed Brisbane-based technology company are developing nuclear solutions for the propulsion of strategic response vessels in remote areas. Using Micro Modular Reactor (MMR) technology, 2 to 5 MMRs of 1MWe capacity each, will propel a 73 metre amphibious vessel, designed for emergency response and disaster relief duties in remote areas. This will enable operation of the vessel for 8-10 years without refueling and the vessel can feed power into the shore grid of the affected areas and whenever docked at port.
Working with London Based Classification Society, Lloyds Register, who has had decades of experience with nuclear classification for military vessels, the present program is to ensure quality, protocols and safety aspects are established and followed. The IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) based in Vienna, had their last November conference focussing on floating nuclear power plants. The Russians are already well advanced in this area, and many nations in Africa and Indonesia are committing or seriously considering these plug and play power options.
Seatransport presented the ship concept at the nuclear seminar held in Mount Isa in August 2023. The seminar also highlighted the advantages of MMRs to remote communities and mining, as a key ingredient in regional prosperity, job security and successful training programs.
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Just to state the obvious. This sort of mini reactor technology has many military applications. For example UUVs could stay on station indefinitely.
The Russian’s already utilise this type of mini reactor in their Status-6 Poseidon nuclear torpedo so it’s definitely possible. In the future perhaps we’ll see a Ghost Shark successor with this same technology endlessly patrolling our SLoC.
Developing a reactor powered “73 metre amphibious vessel, designed for emergency response and disaster relief duties” looks like a major security risk to Australia.
Basically a civilian ship in an isolated place could be hijacked by terrorists. Its reactor could be blown up with plastic explosive causing vast dispersal of radioactive material as well as the sinking of the raptured reactor – even in a city’s port – Brisbane’s? Sydney’s?
This possibility is why reactors, on large ships, submarines and land have sizable protection forces as well as further armed backup nearby.
See “Vulnerability of nuclear plants to attack”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulnerability_of_nuclear_plants_to_attack
Including:
Nuclear “Anti-terrorism preparedness in the United States” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulnerability_of_nuclear_plants_to_attack#Anti-terrorism_preparedness_in_the_United_States
“Terrorists could target nuclear power plants in an attempt to release radioactive contamination into the community. The United States 9/11 Commission has said that nuclear power plants were potential targets originally considered for the September 11, 2001 attacks …terrorist groups could sufficiently damage safety systems to cause a core meltdown”
Total codswallop.
Australia has zero experience in the nuclear field, every single nut and bolt will have to be imported, no supply chain for parts, noone is in the country qualified to do nuclear standard welding, its a pipe dream.
Crazies in the above post banging on about terrorists and other crack pipe scenarios, when uk has been building nuclear subs for 65 years.
Lets face it, anything technical, or with moving parts will come into australia on a ship.
Australia is very capable of training nuclear scientists and engineers. It’s unfortunate that their is so little for them to do in Australia. This is a development project, not a construction project and we should wish them all the best.
Well that’s also total codswollop.
The requirements for technical training would come from the US or Britain, to make uninformed statements is pointless, do you think that companies just make erroneous announcements for a feel good exercise
The UK defends its nuclear subs when surfaced going into/out of port with GPMPs mounted on the fin/sail + one or two armed escort boats.
A small civilian ship in an isolated place would have no such protection.