Ship-Submarine Recycling Program

Ship-Submarine Recycling Program
Name	Ship-Submarine Recycling Program
Type	Nuclear-powered vessel disposal
Location	Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington
Country	United States
Branch	United States Navy
Command structure	Naval Sea Systems Command
Dates	1990 – present

Ship-Submarine Recycling Program. The Ship-Submarine Recycling Program is the official process of the United States Navy for the environmentally sound disposal of decommissioned nuclear-powered warships. Administered by the Naval Sea Systems Command and executed primarily at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington, the program focuses on the safe defueling, dismantling, and recycling of submarines and aircraft carriers. Its primary goal is to reduce the number of radioactive hulls in storage while reclaiming valuable materials like steel, copper, and lead.

Overview

The program represents the Department of Defense's sole method for disposing of its nuclear-powered fleet units, addressing a critical backlog that accumulated during the Cold War. It operates under strict regulatory oversight from agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The process transforms a warship into three distinct product streams: recycled scrap metal, low-level radioactive waste for disposal at facilities like the Hanford Site, and reactor compartments which are sealed and transported for long-term storage. This systematic approach replaced earlier methods of long-term storage afloat and was formalized following the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act.

History and development

The need for a formal disposal program became acute following the post-Cold War drawdown of the U.S. Navy, which left dozens of submarines and several aircraft carriers inactivated. Prior to the 1990s, decommissioned nuclear vessels were stored afloat at sites like the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, posing environmental and economic concerns. The program was officially established in 1990, with the first submarine, the USS *Swordfish* (SSN-579), entering recycling in 1993. Its development was heavily influenced by lessons learned from the NS *Savannah* disposal and ongoing dialogue with entities like the Government Accountability Office. Key legislative drivers included provisions within successive National Defense Authorization Act bills which mandated and funded the accelerated recycling of the inactive fleet.

Process and facilities

The multi-year process begins with the vessel's arrival at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard under tow, following its formal decommissioning ceremony. The initial and most critical phase is the defueling of the naval reactor and removal of all spent nuclear fuel, which is shipped via dedicated rail casks to the Idaho National Laboratory for storage. Non-nuclear sections, such as the superstructure, bow, and stern, are then removed and cut into scrap metal. The sealed reactor compartment is separated, filled with polyurethane foam for stability, and prepared for transport. These compartments are barged down the Pacific Coast, through the Panama Canal, and up the Mississippi River to the Department of Energy's Hanford Site for burial. The Norfolk Naval Shipyard and Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard have also supported preparatory work for vessels from the Atlantic Fleet and Pacific Fleet.

Environmental and safety considerations

Environmental protection is a paramount concern, governed by a framework including the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Extensive monitoring for contaminants like PCBs, asbestos, and beryllium is conducted throughout dismantling. The program's approach to low-level radioactive waste, primarily the reactor compartments, was validated through Environmental Impact Statements overseen by the Department of Energy. Worker safety protocols are enforced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the shipyard's own Radiation Health Department, ensuring exposure to hazards is kept as low as reasonably achievable. The sealed compartment disposal method at Hanford Site is designed to isolate materials for centuries.

Economic and strategic aspects

While costly, the program is considered more economically sustainable than indefinite mothballing within the Navy's budget. It recovers millions of pounds of ferrous and non-ferrous metals for commercial recycling, providing some cost offset. Strategically, it fulfills U.S. obligations under the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty by visibly eliminating former ballistic missile submarines from the inventory. The program also maintains critical industrial skills in nuclear propulsion handling at public shipyards, preserving expertise for the active fleet. Its success has informed similar efforts by other navies, including the Royal Navy's work at Rosyth Dockyard.

Notable vessels processed

The program has processed many iconic vessels from the Cold War era. The first ballistic missile submarine recycled was the USS *Daniel Boone* (SSBN-629). Among aircraft carriers, the pioneering USS *Enterprise* (CVN-65), the world's first nuclear-powered carrier, completed recycling in 2024. Other significant hulls include the USS *Parche* (SSN-683), noted for its intelligence missions, and the USS *Cincinnati* (SSN-693). The program has also recycled numerous *Los Angeles*-class attack submarines and earlier classes like the *Sturgeon*-class.

Category:United States Navy programs Category:Warship scrapping Category:Nuclear technology in the United States