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- The transportation of nuclear materials by sea is nothing new —
it has been going on safely since the l960's.
- The shipments are carefully managed by responsible, well-run businesses.
The shipping company, PNTL, is the most experienced company in the
world for transporting this type of cargo, having transported over
4,000 casks and covered 4.5 million miles without a single incident
resulting in the release of radioactivity.
- The transportation of nuclear materials is strictly governed by
an established system of international regulations which have led
to an impressive record of safety over many years.
- The PNTL ships carrying the nuclear material have the highest IMO
safety rating and the transport casks meet rigorous IAEA safety standards.
- The purpose-built ships have extensive duplication of equipment
and comprehensive safety and emergency systems to ensure their reliability.
Similar ships safely transport the same type of material around Europe
and between ports in Japan.
- Similar packages have been safely transported in the UK, France
and Japan for over 30 years.
- The vitrified waste is specially conditioned as part of a tough,
solid glass structure which would prevent the escape of radioactivity
even under incredible accident scenarios where the ship, cask and
steel container were all ruptured.
- Independent nuclear experts around the world have stated that vitrification
is a safe and secure method for treating, transporting and storing
highly radioactive waste.
- The waste will be stored at Rokkasho-Mura in Japan for 30-50 years
before being transferred to a final disposal facility. It has no military
or civilian use.
- Comprehensive emergency plans exist to deal with any eventuality
en route. These plans are not reliant on assistance from countries
adjacent to the route.
- Like all merchant vessels at sea, under the international law of
the sea, the ships have the rights of innocent passage in territorial
waters and freedom of navigation on the high seas.
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