Thread

The Return of Sail Power: Cargo Ships Are Turning Back to the Wind

193 points · 136 comments · gumby

ExoticPearTree · 1789642429 · focus · HN ↗
We need to start fitting nuclear reactors on cargo ships.
The technology is proven and reliable. Not to mention no emissions.
1. lxgr · 1789643542 · focus · HN ↗
  If you think about this for a minute, maybe you'll be able to form a theory for why this is already very common for military vessels, but not so much for unarmed civilian ones...
  1. ExoticPearTree · 1789647149 · focus · HN ↗
    Icebreakers are not military vessels and they have nuclear reactors.
    Probably initial cost is the reason this did not become something more common.
    lxgr · 1789653539 · focus · HN ↗
    Yes, but they're also not regular old merchant ships by any means. All existing ones see to be operated by a Russian government-owned corporation.
    sombragris · 1789685491 · focus · HN ↗
    I guess this is not exactly "cost", but also lifetime spans. A nuclear reactor can sustain a ship for about 20+ years, and that lifetime is too long for many ships, who would be headed out to the scrap yard in less time than that.
2. akazantsev · 1789647663 · focus · HN ↗
  > We need to start fitting nuclear reactors on cargo ships.
  That's a great idea, and it's timely too. Right now, cargo ships are being attacked in many parts of the world.

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