Cost: $50

Capacity: 55 (Guests are warmly welcome to attend the tour alongside conference participants)

Experience the world’s first nuclear-powered merchant ship, the NS Savannah – a groundbreaking marvel christened in 1959 under President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Atoms for Peace initiative. This bold program challenged nations to harness nuclear power for peaceful purposes, and Savannah became a shining symbol of that vision.

Launched on July 22, 1959, she was the first nuclear merchant ship at sea and remains one of only four nuclear-powered cargo ships ever built. Powered by a two-loop, 80 MWt pressurized water reactor, Savannah traveled more than 450,000 miles during her active years – serving as both a passenger-cargo vessel and a global ambassador for nuclear power. In 1991, she earned designation as a National Historic Landmark for her exceptional contributions to nuclear, maritime, transportation, and political history.  Not to be outdone, in the same year ANS designated Savannah as its 35th Nuclear Historic Landmark.

Tour Format & Special Sessions
This will be a self-guided tour, allowing you to explore Savannah’s decks, exhibits, and engineering spaces at your own pace. Along the way, you’ll have the opportunity to join two formal Q&A sessions in the Eisenhower Room:

  • 10:00 AM EST
  • 11:00 AM EST

These sessions are perfect for diving deeper into the ship’s history, technology, and impact.

A Note for Guests
Please be aware that the NS Savannah does not meet ADA accessibility standards. As this is a self-guided tour, attendees are responsible for returning to the bus on time for the trip back to the hotel. Guests will given a liability waiver to fill out on the bus ride over.

Lunch Included
Lunch will be provided for you to enjoy aboard the vessel or take with you for the ride back.

Step back into an era when innovation met diplomacy, and discover the ship that brought nuclear power to the high seas.