One of the true oddities of 20th Century maritime shipping was the NS Savannah, a 596-foot combination cargo/passenger vessel launched in 1959 at the New York Shipbuilding yard in Camden, NJ and the first nuclear powered merchant ship ever built. Laid down as part of the Eisenhower Administration’s Atoms for Peace Initiative, the unique vessel was built at a cost…

Designing environmentally friendly ships and converting existing vessels requires a major multidisciplinary approach, involving the extensive expertise of naval architects, designers, engineers, vessel operators, equipment suppliers, and other stakeholders.  It seems everything is on the table when it comes to green ship design, including fuel efficiency, emissions reduction, and the use of sustainable materials. The common thread is the goal…