China is preparing the construction of a huge floating island. The enclave has the objective of working on nuclear energy, it will be powered by molten salt reactors and will serve as container transfer terminal, energy center and ship loading station.
The project is carried out by astillero Jiangnan, which presented this innovative project during the Posidonia International Shipping Exhibition in Athens, Greece, on Tuesday, June 3. The company is one of the largest and most important shipbuilding facilities in China.
The company, according to the media, is a subsidiary of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) and during the event described the initiative as a new model of zero-emission ocean logistics, which merges cargo transportation, energy production and fuel generation on a single platform. offshore.
To sustain itself with energy, this floating platform would be powered by advanced molten salt reactors that use liquefied salt as fuel. The reactors can store large amounts of thermal energy. They do not depend on water for cooling.
floating energy center
The construction company stressed, during the Greek congress, that the platform would function as the “zero carbon heart” of a broader maritime transport network. In addition to the reactor, it would integrate solar panels, wind turbines, hydrogen production systems, green fuel synthesis units, as well as electricity supply infrastructure.
The installation is multipurpose. including ammonia. The interior of the site could be used to power terminal operations, charge electrical feeder vessels and supply fuel to ships along major trade routes.
The owners of the Jiangnan shipyard want the floating island to become “a new ecosystem for zero-emission ocean container logistics” and provide a “pioneering solution for the carbon-neutral transformation of the global shipping industry.”
Molten salt as fuel
According to the company, one of the greatest advantages of the project is the molten salt reactor (MSR) technology. Unlike traditional reactors, the MRS operates at a pressure close to atmospheric. Reduces the risk of explosions or high-pressure steam leaks, which can disperse radioactive materials.
“Molten salt reactors inherently avoid the risk of core meltdown and have inherent security and nonproliferation characteristics,” company spokespersons explained during the Greek event. “When molten salt coolant comes into contact with ambient temperatures, it can solidify quickly, greatly reducing the risk of accident-related leaks.”
