CONVERSATION Conversation is a forum of thought leaders, commentaries, letters, editors’ notes and noteworthy social media from Breakbulk’s audience and staff. Join in the conversation – submit your views to gary.burrows@breakbulk.com, or through Breakbulk’s social media channels on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter.
BECHTEL AWARDED NATRIUM REACTOR CONTRACT Nuclear specialist TerraPower has selected engineering firm Bechtel as its construction partner for development of the Natrium reactor demonstration project. The advanced sodium fast reactor will be coupled with a molten salt energy storage system, and was awarded US$160 million in initial funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, or DoE, under the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program. “Natrium fulfils the industry vision of what a true advanced reactor should be – safer, simpler, easier and less costly to construct, less expensive to operate, and able to provide energy that is competitive with fossil fuels and complementary to solar and wind power,” said Barbara Rusinko, president of Bechtel’s nuclear, security and environmental global business unit. The construction of the demonstrator system will require the transport of a number of unique outsized components, and the partners aim to deploy two “first-of-a-kind advanced reactor designs” in the next five to seven years.
An artist’s rendering of the Natrium reactor demonstration project. CREDIT: TERRAPOWER
The project is under development by TerraPower and technology codeveloper GE Hitachi Nuclear
Energy, as well as specialists from PacifiCorp, Energy Northwest and Duke Energy.
CNCO LAUNCHES SWIRE PROJECTS Breakbulk shipping line the China Navigation Co. has launched its new project cargo business, introducing Swire Projects to provide specialist shipping services to the energy, resource and infrastructure sectors. The new business will work closely with other subsidiaries of the Swire group to develop an independent global strategy in the multipurpose and heavy-lift segment. “Working closely with Swire Bulk, a leader in bulk transport and logistics solutions, global project parceling services can be offered to the sector particularly for wind cargo components, 8 BREAKBULK MAGAZINE www.breakbulk.com
Namir Khanbabi CNCo
tubulars and heavy civil infrastructure material,” CNCo said in a statement. CNCo said Namir Khanbabi would head the new business, bringing extensive industry experience to the role. Most recently Khanbabi held
the position of regional director at Zeamarine, and previously was chartering and operations director at AAL Shipping. Khanbabi will be assisted by Matthias Kremser, as global head of chartering, and Nicki Schumacher, as head of Europe, both based in Hamburg. In addition, Rufus FrereSmith will serve as regional general manager, and lead the Americas team based in Vancouver and Houston. Earlier this year CNCo said it would separate out its dry bulk shipping activities, establishing Swire Bulk as a standalone firm. ISSUE 6 / 2020
