The operators of Sellafield nuclear reprocessing facility are refusing to reveal the location of a ship returning to Cumbria with large quantities of rejected nuclear fuel. The BNFL (British Nuclear Fuel Limited) shipment from Japan is due to arrive at the Sellafield plant via the Irish Sea by next month.
A spokesman said it was not company policy to reveal either the location or expected time of arrival of the controversial cargo. "For security reasons we never release details of location or when a ship will arrive at its destination," said Mr Paul Vallance of BNFL.
When asked about concerns by people in Britain and Ireland about the shipment, he said: "There is no need to worry, the transport method is entirely safe." The Pacific Pintail, a purpose-built-vessel, is returning mixed oxide plutonium-uranium (MOX) fuel which was rejected by Japanese customers of BNFL in 1999. BNFL was found to have falsified critical quality-control data during its production.
It is understood that the ship is currently off the coast of South Africa and will travel up the Irish Sea some time next month. Greenpeace has campaigned against the transport of MOX fuel, calling it "some of the most dangerous, expensive and dirty material ever to be produced as fuel".
The organisation says the vessel is sailing past South Africa two weeks before the World Summit on Sustainable Development meets in Johannesburg. "Top of the summit agenda for many countries and citizens' groups is the need to supply clean, modern and affordable energy," it said.
The Green Party's spokeswoman on nuclear affairs, Ms Nuala Ahern MEP, said there was so much opposition to the vessel, BNFL's silence on its whereabouts was not surprising.
"There is so much opposition to this both here in the UK that they don't want to risk further demonstrations by revealing the whereabouts of the ship," she said.
"It is appalling that this ship is allowed to travel with cargo that could make nuclear bombs. A terrorist attack on the ship is not unrealistic, given recent events."
Ms Ahern said many countries had opposed the transport of the fuel and called for more government opposition to the ship which next month will travel up the Irish Sea.