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Saturday 21 April 2018

British nuclear propelled cargo submarine designed according to the Dutch newspaper Friese koerier dated 14 August 1958

Source Gereformeerd gezinsblad dated 29 March 1961

An item reported that the British firm Mitchell Engineering, London, England designed a 80.000 tons nuclear propelled cargo submarine and ordered the Sanders Roe Factories to make a pilot study. For that pilot study was 8 months estimated and if the conclusion was positive would a British shipyard get an order. The designed speed was 35 knots. The intention was to use her as a ore cargo ship on the line Hudson Bay-England and pass the North Pole while submerged. The Suez Canal was not to be used. The preparations and eventual building were private matter while the British cabinet was not interested. Another Dutch newspaper Gereformeerd gezinsblad dated 29 March 1963 referred to this plan of Mitchell and published a sketch of such cargo submarine with a tonnage of 50.000 tons, net cargo capacity 28.000 tons and a length of around 200 metres. She was to be continuously submerged and only to come to the surface for loading or unloading her cargo which was to consist of iron ore and oil.