MV Savannah, which made its maiden voyage in August 1962. George G Sharp, the naval architect responsible for some of the finest American passenger ships, created an elegant white vessel that has been described by many as the prettiest merchant ship ever to set sail. That attractive exterior was no accident. The Savannah was to be a showcase and therefore had to look good.
MV Savannah purpose was more demonstration than commercial. Despite this, it boasted copious cargo holds, while 60 passengers were housed in luxurious quarters decked out with an ultra-modern, atomic theme. Marad assigned commercial management of the MV Savannah to private companies. First to operate the ship was States Marine Lines, with American Export Lines taking over in 1965. It made commercial voyages, mostly to Europe, for nearly a decade. But by the early 1970s cargo was increasingly being shifted in containers, making the 10-year old Savannah obsolete. Marad decommissioned the liner in late 1971. The reactor was deactivated and the remaining nuclear fuel removed. From a technical standpoint, the MV Savannah performed flawlessly. Whether it was a commercial success is still up for debate. Savings on bunker fuel were outweighed by the cost of fitting a reactor and the need to have a larger crew, including nuclear engineers.
Although it carried out its mandate to prove it was possible to build and operate nuclear-powered commercial ships, the idea did not gain support from owners.
Today the MV Savannah lies alongside a pier in Baltimore, where Marad maintains it. The ship will stay there until the reactor licence is terminated in 2031. The ship is not a museum yet, but the public can visit it on several occasions throughout the year on open-house days.
Dry Bulk Shipping News - Shipbroker Notes