nuclear-news

Protests as nuclear ship docks

Protests as nuclear ship docks

From correspondents in Omaezaki

Herald Sun May 18, 2009 10:00pm

AN armed vessel with a load of recycled nuclear fuel from France arrived amid heavy security today at a Japanese port where it was greeted by dozens of protesters.

The Pacific Heron – carrying a British police team to head off possible hijackers on its secretive two-month voyage – delivered a load of mixed-oxide or MOX fuel, a blend of plutonium and reprocessed uranium.

Several dozen anti-nuclear activists and residents rallied at a pier of the Omaezaki fishing port as the cargo ship docked under heavy police guard and cranes unloaded metal containers of the nuclear fuel.

Environmental group Greenpeace has called the cargo, which left France in March, “the largest shipment of plutonium in history”, saying the 1.8 tonnes would be enough to make 225 nuclear weapons.

The Pacific Heron is believed to have travelled around Africa, escorted by a second ship, the Pacific Pintail, which was not seen in the port.

Protests as nuclear ship docks | Herald Sun

May 19, 2009 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Japan, politics | antinuclear, nuclear, radioactive