N.S. Savannah

N.S. Savannah, a joint project of the U.S. Maritime Administration and the Atomic Energy Commission, was the first nuclear-powered merchant ship. She was built to carry up to 60 passengers and 9,250 tons of cargo. In 1962, after reactor tests at Yorktown and sea trials, Savannah sailed from Yorktown to Savannah, Georgia, her home port. From then until 1970, nearly 1.5 million people visited Savannah to explore her technological marvels. N.S. Savannah operated reliably and safely, established precedents for future commercial nuclear-powered merchant ships, and demonstrated the peaceful use of atomic power. At the end of her service, Savannah was displayed at the Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum in South Carolina and was later stored in the Maritime Administration’s Virginia reserve fleet. In 2008, Savannah was moved to Baltimore in preparation for final decommissioning.

Yorktown, Virginia · United States