Nuclear Ship Savannah

The N/S SAVANNAH Association, Inc.’s mission is to take whatever action is necessary to preserve and protect the N/S SAVANNAH, a non-functional one-of-a-kind nuclear cargo-liner ship. Activities include educating the public about the importance and historical significance of the SAVANNAH and undertaking specific limited scope restoration and preservation tasks with the full concurrence of the vessel owner, the Maritime Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation (MARAD). Under no circumstances will this effort involve radioactive materials or locations in the vessel where such radioactive materials exist or are stored.

The Association is an outgrowth of the SAVANNAH Crew Associates who sponsored 50th anniversary of SAVANNAH’s keel-laying in 2008. That celebration did much to renew the vigor and determination of the Associates to secure the ship’s future. This is now possible because the past few years have seen much progress made by the ship’s owner as part of its decommissioning activities. The SAVANNAH has undergone substantial internal and external maintenance and repair, been inspected and painted, and her internal house areas made suitable for office and project support space.

Federal funding for the SAVANNAH is tight, however, and what funds are available must be prioritized to the work that directly supports maintaining the USNRC license requirements. MARAD will remain the vessel owner and licensee totally but they are looking to the N/S SAVANNAH Association to be a long term partner, and a vehicle by which greater goals can be mutually achieved. The Association will have no legal standing or financial responsibility for the vessel but it provides us with a unique opportunity to contribute to the perpetuation of this vessel in many ways.

R. Jon Stouky, Chairman of the Association, is currently serving as Nuclear Advisor and acting Facility and Site Manager for the N/S SAVANNAH decommissioning project. He has been involved with the N/S SAVANNAH in various capacities since 1962 when he helped establish the Galveston, TX service facilities and commissioned the NSV ATOMIC SERVANT (service barge). Jon was licensed on the reactor and assisted in returning the N/S SAVANNAH to service in 1963-64 managing special maintenance and engineering functions. He joined NUS in 1966 and worked in executive positions for several major nuclear contractors until he formed Mega-Tech Services, Inc. in 1988. He was responsible for managing the radiological characterization of the ship in 2005.

Website Link: N/S Savannah Association