In the late 1950s, US President Dwight Eisenhower was keen to develop peaceful applications for nuclear power.
As part of his “Atoms for Peace” programme, the Maritime Administration (Marad) commissioned a modern passenger/cargo liner that would demonstrate the possibility of powering merchant ships with nuclear reactors.
The result was the Savannah, which made its maiden voyage in August 1962. George G Sharp, the naval architect responsible for some of the finest American passenger ships, created an elegant white vessel that has been described by many as the prettiest merchant ship ever to set sail.
That
