Final answer:
Mines and munitions are received aboard ships in specific assembly configurations to ensure safety and facilitate storage. These configurations include methods that keep materials sub-critical until needed. Container ships, for example, use internal ballast water transfers to maintain stability without discharging potentially hazardous materials.
Step-by-step explanation:
To conform to safety and ammunition stowage requirements, mines and other munitions are typically received aboard ship in specific assembly configurations to prevent accidental detonation and to facilitate safe handling and storage. For example, conventional sub-critical pieces of uranium-235 may be combined in a way that they remain sub-critical until they are assembled for use, such as in a gun-type assembly method utilized in nuclear weapons like the historic 'Little Boy'.Historically, ammo like cannon balls were stacked in a pyramidal arrangement for accessibility and efficiency before the use of modern artillery with explosive shells. In today's terms, munitions might be similarly stored in an organized manner for ease of access while ensuring safety, perhaps in containers or storage compartments designed to minimize risk.Container ships are an example of how cargo, including ammunition, can be transported safely. These ships have implemented strategies such as internal transfers of ballast water to maintain ship stability without needing to discharge the ballast, maintaining a safer environment for the stowed munitions.In all cases, safety protocols must be strictly adhered to, avoiding practices such as stacking fissile material together, which could lead to unsafe conditions. Moreover, nuclear fuel assemblies are handled with caution, stored securely, and transported efficiently to nuclear power plants, where they are used as an energy source.