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A Molten Salt Reactor Makes the Amazing 'Thor' the Self-Sufficient Vessel of Tomorrow

Imagine a vessel that could not only operate with no emissions and basically never run out of energy, but also serve as a floating power station for electric vessels, a mobile laboratory, and a search-and-rescue platform. It sounds almost impossible, but the Norwegian-designed Thor claims to be up for the task, thanks to its main superpower – an onboard MSR (Molten Salt Reactor).
Thor is a groundbreaking concept developed by Ulstein 16 photos
Photo: Ulstein
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Earlier this year, one of the new maritime concepts that made waves at the Seatrade, Miami, was a revolutionary ship designed by Ulstein. The interest it sparked, even beyond the industry, caught the Ulstein team by surprise. They said they had been thinking about nuclear-powered ships since 2008, but believed that the world might not be ready for that. Well, it looks like now it can’t no longer wait.

Ulstein is not a startup with an optimistic vision but a shipbuilding company whose roots go back as far as 1917, when the 23-year-old Martin Ulstein and his brother-in-law Andreas Flo opened a mechanical workshop for fishing boats. More than a century later, this is now a reputable name based in Norway, one of the most powerful seafaring nations.

Ulstein had already won a reputation as an innovator due to solutions such as the X-BOW, a type of vessel shape with a reversed bow, for increased performance. This year, it took another step and integrated the X-BOW into a totally revolutionary vessel concept – Thor.

Although the name of a Germanic deity is fitting for this ultra-capable machine, Thor actually comes from Thorium. This is a low radioactivity metal that’s abundantly available in nature, which can be dissolved into liquid salt. Through the chain reaction that ensues, the salt is heated and produces steam. The steam can then be used to drive a turbine and create electricity.

Molten Salt Reactor Ship Thor
Photo: Ulstein
MSRs are considered the safe and operationally-proven way of harnessing the power of Thorium, but they’ve only been considered for land-based applications so far. Thor would be the first ship to incorporate this and use it for maritime applications, which is what makes it a pioneering concept.

Thanks to the MSR, the 149-meter (488 feet) Thor would be entirely self-sufficient, never needing to refuel, and could also serve as a power station at sea, for other watercraft that need electricity. Its capacity would be enough to recharge four cruise ships at the same time. In fact, to demonstrate this, Ulstein has designed Thor together with Sif, a fully-electric expedition cruise ship.

Sif could be seen as the expedition cruise ship of the future, running on next-generation batteries, and capable of taking 80 passengers and 80 crew to the Arctic and Antarctic, without noise and emissions. Thor would be its trusted companion, ready to recharge it at sea.

But Thor is much more than that. It has several laboratories and a lecture lounge, so that it can be used as a research platform, and it’s fitted with rescue booms, firefighting equipment, and workboats, to conduct search-and-rescue operations in remote areas. Helicopter pads, drones, and autonomous surface vehicles complete the picture of this futuristic, versatile beast.

Molten Salt Reactor Ship Thor
Photo: YouTube/Ulstein
After its introduction in April 2022, Thor generated so much interest that there seem to be no limits to its potential applications. It could provide energy not just for electric vessels, but also for grid networks, compensating for fluctuating power supplies.

It could serve as an emergency power supply for regions hit by natural disasters, conflicts, or pandemics. It could even help produce alternative fuels, says Ulstein’s chief designer, Oyvind Gjerde Kamsvag.

He even came up with the interesting idea that a billionaire could buy an entire fleet of Thors and “create a network of floating charging stations to power green shipping.” That’s because, just like electric cars, green commercial tankers and carriers require a supporting infrastructure, which isn’t available yet.

Thor could therefore become “the missing piece in the zero emissions puzzle,” with Thorium potentially being the most viable source of clean energy for deep-sea shipping. Jan Emblemsvag, Professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, believes that MSR is the only “credible” solution for a zero-emission fleet that would be commercially viable and affordable.

Molten Salt Reactor Ship Thor
Photo: Ulstein
Kamsvag, on the other hand, stressed that this year’s events have shown that energy security and self-sufficiency are becoming increasingly important. Thorium definitely has the potential, but the bad news is that it will take time to go from concept to regular operations.

Ten to 15 years is what Kamvsvag estimates, although certain factors could accelerate it. But even if it does take that long, the important thing is that it’s happening, and that Thor is on its way to changing the world for real with its superpowers.

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About the author: Otilia Drăgan
Otilia Drăgan profile photo

Otilia believes that if it’s eco, green, or groundbreaking, people should know about it (especially if it's got wheels or wings). Working in online media for over five years, she's gained a deeper perspective on how people everywhere can inspire each other.
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