Supporting modular development: The consortium’s design for the nuclear propulsion system is predicated on an artificial fluid that carries warmth away from the reactor core. According to ABS, the design has a “near-atmospheric operating pressure [that] can allow for thinner, lighter reactor vessels, supporting modular construction and easier transport.”
ABS senior vp and chief know-how officer Patrick Ryan stated of the AIP that it “highlights the value of collaboration with key stakeholders in advancing promising commercial nuclear technologies. The MIT reactor design is an interesting piece of technology. With characteristics that can support modular fabrication and vessel integration, these emerging technologies represent one possible pathway toward the safe, practical development of next-generation commercial shipping solutions.”
Themis Sapsis, Koch Professor of Marine Technology at MIT and codirector of the consortium, stated the reactor design “is one of the first concrete outcomes of this synergy [of the collaboration], providing a realistic pathway towards nuclear propulsion for commercial vessels.”
Background: Founded last year, the MIT Maritime Consortium describes itself as “a unique collaboration between academia, industry, and regulatory agencies committed to the development of bold technological solutions, industry standards, and policies that will create competitive advantage in the maritime space and minimize environmental impact.”
The group not too long ago held its 3rd Review Meeting in Athens, Greece, the place the AIP was introduced. The assembly additionally featured updates on submitted patents, publications, U.S. laws, and several other web-based AI functions for decision-making and efficiency evaluation.
