Nuclear Ship Mutsu - Development
Tokai Nuclear Power Group was initially established in the year 1958 in Tokai Research Establishment, Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) for the purpose of doing reseach and development of what became the Nuclear Ship 'MUTSU'. Tokai planned the specifications of JRR-4, research reactor in JAERI for reactor shielding at the design phase, and engaged in reactor training programs, joint-use operations, and different characteristic tests for various shielding experiment facilities, even after the first criticality was attained in January 1965. The very first reactor shielding experiment using JRR-4, entitled 'Experiment for Verification the Radiation Shielding Effect of the First Nuclear Ship' was conducted from 1965 to 1967.
In 1959 a nuclear-powered emigrant ship was designed and would operate between Japan and the East Coast of South America, a distance of 12,000 miles. The ship would be 20,000 tons gross with a cruising speed of 23 knots. The main propulsion machinery would consist of two sets of 22,000 SRP steam turbines using saturated steam. In 1961, the Japan Nuclear Ship Research Association made a contract with the Science and Technical Agency of Japanese Government, on the trial design of nuclear powered oceanographic and supply ship as one of the latter's projects for the peaceful use of nuclear power.
The government started development of Mutsu with the establishment of the Japan Nuclear Ship Research and Development Agency in August 1963. Based on the "Basic plan on the studies necessary for the research and development of nuclear powered ship by Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute" stipulated by the government, the nuclear powered ship "Mutsu" was built as a prototype commercial ship for transporting special cargos and training crew. Authorities expected the leading 7 shipbuilding companies to enter the bid for constructing the ship, but the bids fell short of the expectation due to the low budget. They evaluated outsourcing to an overseas company such as Babcock & Wilcox Co. (USA), however, that would have made no difference in the construction costs, and they decided to commission Japanese companies to build the reactor.
Through the Shipbuilders' Association of Japan, the hull was commissioned to Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. and the reactor to Mitsubishi Atomic Power Industries, Inc. The Nuclear Ship Engineering Simulation System (NESSY) "Mutsu" simulator was developed to simulate the first Japanese nuclear ship "Mutsu". Simulation accuracy of "Mutsu" simulator was verified by comparing the simulation results with data got in the experimental voyage of "Mutsu". Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries started construction of the hull at its Second Tokyo Factory on November 17, 1968.The hull of thc nuclear ship Mutsu was almost completed in 1969 in Tokyo No. 2 Works of IHI, and mounting of the secondary shield in the reactor room was carried out from April to June, 1970. The hull of "Mutsu" was launched on June 12, 1970and delivered to the registered port of Ohminato at Mutsu Bay on July 13, 1970. After adjustment, finishing, and inspection, a sea trial with an auxiliary boiler was carried out on 29 June 1970. The reactor was completed on August 25, 1972, and the nuclear fuel was loaded on September 4.
The projection of the Japan Atomic Industrial Forum was that there will be 280 nuclear container ships by the year 2000. [Rippon, S., "280 Nuclear Containerships on the High Seas by 2000," Nuclear Engineers Journal, June 1971, p. 443.]
The officials announced the test run of the ship where the reactor was to be operated at low output. The local fishermen and inhabitants protested against this experiment, unexpectedly to the officials, and the test run at the mooring facility and offshore within the bay was postponed. After several negotiations, the government, the Japan Nuclear Ship Development Agency and the local community agreed to test the ship away in the outer sea. On August 26, 1974, while there were some protest activities, the ship left the port of Ohminato.
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