SEARCH FOR SUSPECT NUCLEAR POWERED CHICOM PASSENGER VESSEL, TIENTSIN, T ANG-KU, CHINA COMPLEX

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78T05161A000900010066-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 20
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 6, 2003
• Sequence Number: 66
• Publication Date: April 1, 1966
• Content Type: IR

SEARCH-F-Ou-SU ECT WUCLEAR
POWERED CH 0 COM PASSENGER VESSEL,
T II ENTS ~ N, T'ANG-KU, OH 0 NA COMPLEX
Declass Review by NIMA/DOD
MAGERY
ALYSIS
O ISION
CIA/PIR 67260
DATE APRIL 1966
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SEARCH FOR SUSPECT NUCLEAR
POWERED CHICOM PASSENGER VESSEL,
TIENTSIN, T'ANG-K[I, CHINA COMPLEX
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An analysis of recent hotography covering the Tientsin - T'ang-
25X1 Ku Complex (38-59N 117-44E has been performed for evidence of the reported
construction of a large nuclear powered passenger ship. An article appearing
in the January-February 1966 issue of Energie Nucleair stated that construction
of a 20,000 GRT nuclear powered ship was begun at the Tientsin Shipyard during
No evidence was revealed from this analysis to substantiate that
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The basic search effort was an attempt to locate a large vessel of this
type under construction or fitting-out in the Tientsin area and to determine
if a shipyard facility was available to build a ship having a LOA of 600 to
650 feet. In addition to not locating the suspect nuclear ship, no facility
capable of building a unit this large was observed during the search. Of the
numerous small facilities located along the Hai Ho between Tientsin and the sea,
only three repair facilities (Hsin Kiang Shipyard, Figure 3; Ta-Ku Naval Base,
Figure 4; and Hai Ho Conservancy Board Dockyard, Figure 5) can be considered
significant. Of these, only the Hsin Kiang Shipyard possesses significnat re-
pair and construction capabilities. Currently, a possible passenger ship
having an approximate LOA of 400 feet is being built at the Hsin Kiang Shipyard.
See annotation 3, Figure 3. '
Of interest is the fact that the Japanese presented to the 1958 International
Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic Energy, a design for a nuclear powered
passenger ship that is nearly :identical to the design described in Energie
Nucleair. Selected paragraphs from both articles are presented in Appendix I
and II to illustrate the similarities in specifications and terminology.
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LOCATION : T'ANG-KU PORT' FACILITIES
GEO COORDS: 38-59N 117-44E
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CIA IMAGERY ANALYSIS DIVISION
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A. Tiang-ku Port Facility
This port facility is the principle seaport for Peiching and the surround-
ing region.
B. Hsin Kiang Shipyard.
See detailed annotation, Figure 3.
C. Hai Ho (river) lock east (length of lock approx 590').
D. Water level control gates.
These gates are used to maintain navigable water depths for ocean going
vessels on the river as far inland as Tientsin.
25X1 E. Hai Ho (river) lock west (length of lock approx 420').
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Appendix III contains selected photography of thel
which was transferred to the Nationalist government in 1940 and
subsequently captured by the Chinese Communists in 1949. This unit,
apparently 'a stripped hull, was towed from Shanghai to T'ang-ku during
mid-1965 and now appears to be undergoing a modest effort at being re-
furbished. by the Communists) is presently
moored just off the T'an.g- u or aci i y.
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(LOA approx 510').
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CIA/FIR- 72 0
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SHIPYARD : HSIN KIANG SHIPYARD
LOCATION : T'ANG-KU, CHINA
GEO COORDS: 39-OON 117-43E
1.
2.
3.
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4.
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A.
B.
C.
D
E.
F.
KEY TO VESSEL ANNOTATIONS ON FIGURE 3
Unidentified vessel at fitting-out wharf (LOA approx 360').
Two small unidentified vessels (LOA of each approx 100').
Possible passenger ship under construction (LOA approx 400').
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The building way that this vessel occupies was observed to be clear of
all activity on Activity of an undetermined
nature (probably the initial stages of construction on this vessel) could
be seen on The
shape of the hull could be discerned on
showed that the superstructure was complete
h Th
identified as a possible passenger s p. i
ld b
l
s
e
cou
and that the vesse
determination was based on the fact that a relatively short foredeck and
a long block superstructure was visible. Little external construction
a ears to have been undertaken during the period
Two possible small barges alongside building way (not measured). 25X1
KEY TO FACILITY ANNOTATIONS ON FIGURE 3
Graving dock (length approx 360').
This dock appears to have caisson gates, a feature that is lacking on
other graving docks in this area.
Unoccupied building way (length approx 560').
Occupied building way (length approx 540'). 25X1
th a rox 520').
V-;4-+ t wharf (len
g
ing-
ou pp
Probable wharf under construction (length of completed portion as of
Possible fabrication building.
This three bay structure is evaluated as a fabrication building on the
basis of its size and proximity to the building ways.
NOTE: All measurements were made by the CIA/IAD project analyst.
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 IAI-HO CONSERVANCY BOARD DOCKYARD ;
T'ANG-KU, CHINA
39-01N 117-37E
4&ppro . Fo ~se
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CIA IMAGERY ANALYSIS DIVISION 25X1
APPENDIX I 1
FRENCH ARTICLE DISCUSSING "NEW CONSTRUCTION CHICOM NUCLEAR C PYR
POWERED PASSENGER VESSEL" (CIRCA 1966)
Extracts-from Energie Nucleair, January-February 1966 - pages 40-43.
" Work on a first vessel of this type, that is a nuclear powered one which
began in April 1964 at the Tientsin Shipyard, will shortly be fully completed.
The vessel will soon be used in coastal shipping in the China Sea, especially
between Tientsin and Shanghai.
This ship will have a gross tonnage of 20,000 tons and will be able to trans-
port 3,400 passengers at a cruising speed of 23.5 knots. It is a ship with
sheltered bridge, bulbous bow and a cruiser stern. It has four complete decks.
The hull is divided by 10 transversal water-tight bulkheads and includes three
holds forward and two holds aft. The engine and reactor compartments are
slightly aft....
The ship named Zan Than (Voice of the People), will have a main engine made
up of two 22,000 HP turbines having two parallel sections connecting a 2-
stage reducer by two shafts. The propellers are five-bladed and turn at a
rate of 160 revolutions a minute.
The reactor will be of the pressurized water type of 180 megawatts. The two
main steam generators will be capable of 120 tons an hour. They, together
with the auxiliary equipment of the reactor installation, will be housed in a
pressure-tight; enclosure in order to protect the surrounding area of the reactor
compartment from mechanical damage which could result from the projection of
objects or against contamination by radioactive vapors or gas in case of a
break in the high-pressure equipment....
The reactor core will consist of 98 fuel rods and 27 cruciform control rods. 1
It will be surrounded by 4 stainless steel concentric and cylindrical thermal
shields. The core tank which, will contain the core will by cylindrical, with
a hemispheric bottom and with. a top cover. The cooling water will penetrate
at the bottom of this tank through four nozzles located in the middle. The
reactor core will contain about 8,380 kilograms of 1.7% enriched uranium in
the form of uranium oxide. This uranium fuel will be placed in capsule-form
in a zirconium alloy tube, and each rod will be tested to avoid difficulties
resulting from deformations and vibrations of the fuel pellets, and yet
possessing the required nuclear and thermal characteristics.
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This ship will not include fuel replenishment installations because the Tien-
tsin Nuclear Committee has felt that this is not a usual type of project;
instead, this will be carried out in special installations equipped with all
the necessary means. Nevertheless, the Committee has given great stress to
obtaining the maximum of security and facility of refueling in the equiping
and construction of the reactor installation....
The control of this reactor will consist in maintaining a constant average
temperature; this principle will be the one best adapted to the conditions
imposed on the reactor. The preliminary study carried out by the Tientsin
Nuclear Committee on the dynamic characteristics of this reactor has shown
that a great intrinsic stability could be counted on, and that its responce
to load variations would very well sustain a comparison with conventional
boilers. The committee also expected that sudden load variations (fluctu-
ations from full load to no load) would occur for short periods while the
vessel was getting under way or on its arrival in a port. In such cases,
the quality of excess steam in the turbines circuit will be small; it will
be discharged in the atmosphere when the steam will reach the pressure limit.
According to the Committee, there is therefore no need to make provision for
a discharge condenser...."
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JAPANESE PROPOSAL FOR A NUCLEAR POWERED
EMIGRANT PASSENGER VESSEL (CIRCA 1958)
Extracts from session G-6 of the 1958 International Conference on the Peaceful
Uses of Atomic Energy.
A Nuclear Powered Emigrant Ship, by Seuchi Takeuchi, Takashi Okamura, and
Sootoo Murakami.
Of 20,100 tons gross, this nuclear powered emigrant ship would be a
passenger,cargo vessel, to carry 2300 emigrants with a service speed of 23.5
knots. As shown in the general arrangement, the ship is a shade deck vessel
with raked stem, bulbous bow and cruiser stern. There are four complete decks
"A", "B", "C" and "D", Compass Bridge, Navigation Bridge Deck, Bridge Deck
and Boat Deck. The hull sould be divided by 10 water-tight transverse bulk-
heads, with three fore and two aft cargo holds. The engine and reactor rooms
are located slightly aft. The main propulsion machinery is two sets of cross
compound, double reduction geared steam turbines each of 22,000 shp. Compatible
with this engine output and the ship's form, five-bladed propellers of 160
rpm are used.
The reactor is of the pressurized water type with a thermal output of 180
MW, and the main steam generators are two sets each of 120 tons per hour
capacity. These, with other associated reactor plant auxiliaries, are con-
tained in a pressure-tight containment vessel to fully protect the areas
adjacent to the reactor compartment from mechanical damage by the release of
missiles (fragment of disintegrating rotors, etc), or from contamination of
radioactive vapours or gas in case of a rupture in the high pressure equipment.
The reactor core consists of.' 88 fuel assemblies and 17 cruciform control rods,
and is surrounded by three concentric, cylindrical thermal shields of stain-
less steel. The reactor pressure vessel containing the core, is a right
cylindrical vessel with a hemispherical bottom and is enclosed by a top en-
closure. The coolant enters the vessel through four inlet nozzles at the
bottom, flows upward through the core and then is discharged through four
outlet nozzles at the middle of the body. The reactor core contains about
7270 kilograms of uranium with an enrichment of 1.7% in the form of uranium
oxide, and is designed to produce 1.55 x 1012 kcal of heat energy, which
corresponds to 10,000 hr of full load operation, or an average fuel burn-up
of 9200 Mwd per ton of uranium oxide. The initial nuclear and mechanical
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core design data is shown in tables 3 and 4. The uranium fuel is inserted
in a zircalov tube in the form of pellets, and the fuel assembly is so de-
signed as to avoid problems of fuel rod buckling or vibration, and arranged
to satisfy. the nuclear and thermal characteristics.
No refueling equipment has been considered in this design, because it is
thought that refueling is not routine work and should be conducted at a
special location where all the necessary facilities have been fully installed.
However, in the arrangement and construction of the reactor plant, attention
has been fully given to what is considered to be the most safe and easy re-
fueling procedure.
The control scheme of this reactor will be that of a constant average tempera-
ture most appropriate for meeting the requirements of the reactor. A preliminary
analysis of the dynamic characteristics of the reactor indicated that an adequate
inherent stability can be expected, and that the response to load changes would
compare quite well with conventional boilers. A sudden load change such as
"full load" "no load" - "full load" can be expected to occur for short periods
when arriving and departing. The excessive steam in the turbine cycle on such
occasions will be small in quantity; it will be discharges into the atmosphere
when the steam pressure rises over the limited value. Therefore, no dump
condenser will be required...."
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25X1 APPENDIX III
EX-BRT-_ SH CRUISER AURORA
PHOTOGRAPHED
MOORED IN
HUANG-PU RIVER KIANGNAN
SHIPYARD (31-12N 121-29E)
SHANGHAI, CHINA.
IMAGED THE CRUISER MOORED NEAR
THE TANG-KU-PORT FACILITY QUAY.
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PHOTOGRAPH OF BE-.
FORE BEING DI TLED BY
THE COMMUNIST CHINESE (CIA
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ACIC US Air Target Chart, Series 200, Sheet M0381-7 HL, Scale 1:200,000,
II Edition, November 1965 (SECRET 2 5X
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DOCUMENTS
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US Navy Hydrographic Office - HO PUB 94, Coast of China, 6th Edition, 1959
(UNCLASSIFIED)
Hydrographic Department, Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, China Sea
Pilot, Vol III, 1954 and Vol III Supplement 1963 (UNCLASSIFIED
Proceeds of 1958 International Conference on the Peaceful Uses of Atomic
Energy, Vol 8, Article 1319, pages 167-181, A Nuclear Powered Emigrant
Ship by S. Takeuchi, T. Okamura and S. Murakami UNCLASSIFIED
Energie Nucleair, January-February 1966, pages 40-43,"Nuclear Powered Coastal
Vessel for Use Along the Chinese Coastal Area" (UNCLASSIFIED)
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