Anti-nuclear protesters take on BNFL

A flotilla of anti-nuclear protesters where preparing to face down two British freighters ferrying weapons-gradable plutonium across the Irish Sea today.

The British Nuclear Fuels Ltd (BNFL) owned freighters, Pacific Teal and Pacific Pintail, are in the home straight of an 18,000-mile return journey from Japan, and, according to protesters, are carrying enough usable nuclear material to produce 15 atom bombs. They are expected to dock in Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria at around 9am tomorrow morning.

The vessels were originally sent as part of a deal between BNFL and Japan in 1999, whereby the company would supply Mixed Oxide fuel rods. However, in an embarrassing move for BNFL, the Japanese government withdrew from the deal after it was found that BNFL had falsified safety records on the consignment. Unfortunately, BNFL's embarrassment will cost British taxpayers £130 million to cover the bill of the return journey.

The protesters, led by Greenpeace and the Nuclear Free Seas Flotilla, will intercept the nuclear material-bearing vessels before they weigh anchor, but have pledged not to block the freighters' route to port.

Opponents to the shipment centre their objections on the ships' vulnerability to catastrophic accident or terrorist attack, which could lead to large-scale contamination of the marine environment and coastal communities. BNFL would argue that the freighters are safe and well protected with naval guns and armed guards in place. The fuel rods themselves are housed in 100-tonne strong compartments in the hold.

The Irish government has condemned the shipment, and have deployed naval vessels and aircraft to track the shipment and to ensure that it did not enter Irish waters.

South Down MP, Eddie McGrady, said: "The message is loud and clear from the people of Ireland, north and south – the Irish Sea must no longer be used for the transportation of radioactive or toxic waste to and from Sellafield for reprocessing. This must be the last."

Eighty countries have already banned this shipment of MOX fuel from entering their territorial waters, and Greenpeace say that "BNFL and the British government should take note of the strength of commitment of some of the people whose lives they risk with their deadly shipments and radioactive discharges from the Sellafield nuclear plant".

(GMcG)