Dutch offshore giant Allseas invests €300 million in nuclear reactor to power fleet
The Dutch offshore company Allseas is investing 300 million euros in developing a nuclear reactor for seagoing vessels and plans to start retrofitting its existing ships to run on nuclear power in 2032.
Allseas says it feels supported by research it commissioned from the consultancy firm Roland Berger, which found that about 700 large ships could run on nuclear power. The reactor must first be tested on land two years before the company can start operating a nuclear-powered fleet.
Stephanie Heerema, daughter of owner Edward Heerema and the director responsible for the nuclear energy program, told NOS that the company is “seriously looking” into nuclear energy to fuel the fleet and eliminate CO₂ emissions.
Liquefied natural gas (LNG), which still produces CO₂ emissions, is only a temporary solution, NOS reported based on conversations with Heerema and her daughter.
Biofuels and hydrogen produced with renewable electricity were considered as alternatives, but both are costly and limited in supply.
While many military vessels already sail on nuclear power, Allseas is the first company seeking to install a reactor on civilian ships.
The reactor is reportedly safe because it shuts itself down automatically if something goes wrong, engineer Bram Post told NOS during an interview inside an engine room deep inside the Pioneering Spirit. If the reactor fails, the ship can fall back on its diesel engines. “We want to design the reactor so we don’t need scientists on board,” Post told NOS.
The Pioneering Spirit, designed by Allseas and built by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering in South Korea, is the world’s largest offshore construction vessel. It is designed to lift and remove entire oil and gas platforms in a single operation.
The company says it is confident it can build a nuclear reactor, but it depends on authorities for permits. “There are definitely challenges and they could cause delays, but in principle we assume this will succeed,” Stephanie Heerema told NOS.
Allseas is working with Lloyd’s Register in London, the Dutch government, and the nuclear regulator (ANVS) on reactor permits. For nuclear waste, it is consulting with the Central Organization for Radioactive Waste (COVRA) in Zeeland. Regulations for international waters are not yet in place.
