Nuclear Ship Savannah

摘要

The first steam-powered ship to make an ocean voyage was the steam ship Savannah. She sailed from Savannah, GA on May22, 1819. The 320-ton wooden ship reached Liverpool, England 29 days later. On November 5, 1821, Savannah ran aground off Fire Island, NY and was declared a total loss. Interest in building a nuclear-powered merchant ship in the United States began around 1952. On April 25,1955 President Eisenhower first suggested the construction of such a vessel. This ship, later christened nuclear ship Savannah, was part of the Program for Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy, better known as Atoms for Peace. Following successful sea trials in 1961 and 1962, Savannah entered commercial service. During her career she sailed approximately 455,000 miles, and, although she was a technical and operational success, she never earned enough to cover her expenses.