Subseabed nuclear waste disposal: conceptual ship description

Concepts for transporting radioactive waste by ship from a specialized port facility to an ocean site for disposal in the subseabed have been investigated to develop a reference transportation system for risk analysis purposes. The investigation included ship design requirements, radioactive material storage methods, and methods of handling this material during loading at the port and in preparation for emplacement in the subseabed. In this phase of the work, emplacement of free-fall penetrators was assumed. The design concept has been developed from a review of existing and developing technologies for handling and storage of radioactive materials and from considerations of shipboard conditions. The concept incorporates transfer casks for loading the ship with assembled penetrators, a water pool for storage aboard ship while in transit, and individual drop stations in the pool for the penetrators. The concept is described at a level of detail which elucidates the main ideas; the direction of further analyses which would be required in order to carry concept development forward is also indicated