The N.S. Savannah, the first nuclear-powered cargo/passenger ship, was built by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation, launched on July 21, 1959, and began her maiden voyage at sea on Friday, March 23, 1962. Before embarking on a world tour, she called at the Port of Savannah on August 22, 1962. Named in honor of the S.S. Savannah, the first steam-powered ship to cross the Atlantic, she was part of President Eisenhower's "Atoms for Peace" initiative to demonstrate the technical feasibility of nuclear propulsion for merchant ships. Carrying 9,400 tons of cargo, 60 passengers, and 124 crew members, she was capable of cruising at 21 knots and traveling 336,000 miles on a single fuel load.

Photo: US Postal Service

Photo: Anonymous

Photo: Mike Stroud

Photo: Mike Stroud

Photo: Mike Stroud

Bluffton, South Carolina · USA