Flotilla sails to protest UK nuclear fuel ships
Date: 13-Sep-02
Country: REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
Author: Michael Roddy
The environmental group said it hoped the shipment of five tonnes of mixed plutonium-oxide MOX fuel bound from Japan to the British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL) plant in Sellafield, 110 miles across the Irish Sea from Ireland, would be the last.
"The 80 governments that oppose this particular shipment make it the most controversial nuclear transport in history," said Sean Burnie, Greenpeace international nuclear campaigner.
The shipment has been met with protests at several locations on its journey from Japan, which began two months ago.
The environmental group plans to join up with about 20 vessels and then meet up with the two cargo ships, the Pacific Pintail and the Pacific Teal, when they enter the Irish Sea this weekend or early next week.
Greenpeace press officer Mhairi Dunlop said the protest would be peaceful and the flotilla would not take any action that would impede the safe movement of the cargo ships.
"This particular protest is to stop the seas being used as a nuclear dumping ground and a nuclear highway," Dunlop said.
The cargo vessels, armed with 30 mm cannon and protected by special guards, are returning a shipment of MOX fuel rejected by Japan.
BNFL has insisted the shipment is safe from attack or environmental catastrophe.
But Greenpeace claims such shipments are not only hazardous if the ships are involved in any accident, but also pose a tempting target for terror attacks.
Dunlop said the exact whereabouts of the cargo ships is unknown, but they were sighted most recently off the west coast of Madeira, travelling at about 10-1/2 knots, and are expected in the Irish Sea in a few days.
The Irish government, which has challenged the operation of the Sellafield plant in the international arena, has said it would send its navy and air force to monitor the nuclear shipment's progress but would not join in the protest.
