A BWX Technologies subsidiary has teamed with Crowley, a global shipping and energy supply chain-focused organization, to collaborate on a ship concept with potential alternative, zero-carbon emission energy generation capabilities.
Under a new memorandum of understanding, BWXT Advanced Technologies and Crowley will seek out and create opportunities surrounding the design, engineering and development of the shallow-draft hull ship, BWXT announced from its Lynchburg, Virginia headquarters on Wednesday.
“We are excited to work alongside Crowley to leverage our ongoing reactor development and demonstration programs to expand nuclear technology into new and novel markets to deliver zero carbon emissions energy generation to strategic locations,” said BWXT Advanced Technologies President Joe Miller.
The design aims to incorporate components of Crowley’s in-house vessel design and BWXT’s nuclear offerings. Once produced, the ships would supply small-scale nuclear energy to shoreside facilities, including military bases, backup utility grids and damaged installations unable to produce traditional power. A microreactor would be installed on the ships, and the design would include modern technologies tailored to factory fabricated microreactors to accelerate their deployment into a shipyard configuration.
Shiju Zacharia, senior vice president and general manager of Crowley Government Solutions, said the partnership with BWXT will be Crowley’s first step into the nuclear energy sector.
“This concept supports the U.S. Department of Energy’s goal of maintaining U.S. leadership in nuclear energy technology as well as many the U.S. Department of Defense’s strategic goals for operational energy,” he said.
