A potential answer to a sustainable cruise ship industry has been announced in the shape of a nuclear-powered vessel named Thor.
A potential answer to a sustainable cruise ship industry has been announced in the shape of a nuclear-powered vessel named Thor.
Norway-based company Ulstein say the eye-catching 149m (489ft) replenishment, research and rescue ship concept is powered by a thorium Molten Salt Reactor (MSR) that can be used to recharge battery-driven cruise ships at sea.
This enables the vessel to operate as a mobile power/charging station for a new breed of battery driven cruise ships.
Ulstein claim Thor’s charging capacity has been scaled to satisfy the power needs of four expedition cruise ships simultaneously. Thor itself would never need to refuel. As such, the ship is intended to provide a blueprint for entirely self-sufficient vessels of the future.
“The vessel concept is capable of making the vision of zero-emission cruise operations a reality,” the firm states.
Ulstein believes the concept may be the missing piece of the zero emissions puzzle for a broad range of maritime and ocean industry applications.
To demonstrate its feasibility, Ulstein has also developed the Ulstein Sif concept, a 100m-long, 160 POB capacity, zero-emission expedition cruise ship. This Ice Class 1C vessel will run on next-generation batteries, utilising Thor to recharge while at sea.
Sif would accommodate up to 80 passengers and 80 crew, offering silent, zero-emission expedition cruises to remote areas, including Arctic and Antarctic waters.
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