Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-08-26


atomic furnace, capable Of pro-
peling her Il times around the
world on a single fueling of
only 1900 pounds Of uranium
oxide. And its crew seems
mighty pleased with its opera
ton so far.
Since the ship first began US
ing nuclear power for propul-
sion late last year, there have
been no radiation leaks from
her power plant. 1t is Graded
within a veritable fortress of
steel, concrete, lead, water and
reinforced ship structure deep
within the great vessel.
Can Survive ANY Crash
Indeed. Gov. Ernest Vandiyer
and other Georgia VIP's who
rode the ship on her maiden
voyage from Yorktown, Va, to
Savannah this week probably
were exposed to no more radi-
ation-and at times to less
than II they had been sitting in
their own homes.
Officials responsible for the
safety of the Savannah as a
carrier OF passengers and cargo
figures the chances are at least
one billion to one against the
ship ever having an accident of
a type capable Of causing major
damage to her reactor. And
that's the only equipment, real
ly. that differentiates the Sa-
vannah from other top flight
passenger or cargo ships operat-
ing in the worlds ship lanes.
Officials Of the Atomic
Energy Com mission, which
shared responsibility with the
Commerce Departments Mari
time Administration in build
ing the ship. put it this way:
The Savannah was designed
and constructed to Withstand,
without damage to the nuclear
reactor compartment, any colli-
sion with any of the ships
making up SO per cent Of the
worlds merchant fleet"
Deck officers and other Off
Gals Of the States Marine
Lines. Inc. Of New York, which
operates the ship for the Gov
eminent, figure the problem in
these terms: 1t would take a
whack from something as big
as the luxury liner Queen
Mary. travelling at high speed
and striking the Savannah
broadside in Just the right
place, to penetrate the more
than 2 feet and thousands of
tons Of tough shielding and
other protective walls between
the ships hull and the reactor
Even under the worst con-
ceivable conditions. the nuclear
engineering experts figure that
any actual rupture Of the re-
actor or its associated gear
would unleash in the atnnos-
phere only gaseous radiation.
They figure that all solid fis-
sion products produced inside
the furnace. and all radioactive
water coursing through her
maze OF pipes, would be held
fast within q giant, 27S-ton
containment vessel immedi-
ately surrounding the reactor
complex.
If such gas should escape-
Tor example. while the vessel
was In a harbor-the Sayan-
nah would have at least "a
hours to sail out Of port under
auxiliary power. or be towed
out II need be, before radiation
levels in the immediate neigh
borhood Of the ship approached
significant levels.
In any such departure from
a harbor. only 10 Of the ships
110-member crew would re- |
main aboard-to serve as a
skeleton crew to operate the
ship. All passengers would be
evacuated.
II the ship sank at sea. or
IN a harbor, other safety pre- |
cautions would go into effect. |
Provision has been made for
automatic flooding of the re-
actor containment shell to pre-
vent its collapse from the pres
sure that might be experienced
in deep waters.
In case the ship sank In