Plutonium ships avoid SA waters

2002-08-18 21:54

Johannesburg - A cargo of potentially dangerous plutonium has been driven away from South African waters after the Greenpeace ship MV Esperanza set sail from Cape Town to track and monitor the shipment.

In a media statement on Sunday, Greenpeace said the ships carrying the plutonium have significantly altered course and were running into the "Roaring Forties" to avoid meeting the Greenpeace vessel.

Given the deadly nature of the cargo, Greenpeace has undertaken not to interfere with the passage or navigation of the vessels. The international environmental organisation said it sought "only to bear witness to this abuse of the high seas."

The two ships, the Pacific Pintail and the Pacific Teal, are transporting plutonium bought by a Japanese nuclear reactor from British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL), and subsequently rejected.

The Pintail and the Teal have already gone to great lengths to avoid facing public and political pressure. Their departure from Japan on July 4 was marked by Greenpeace protests they have been met with stiff opposition since.

"It is hardly surprising that they are ashamed and want to hide from public scrutiny," said Tom Clements of Greenpeace aboard the Esperanza.

"The nuclear industry is a danger to us all. It is completely unsustainable, both environmentally and economically," he said.

"Heads of government at the Earth Summit must reject continued use and subsidies for dirty energy like nuclear fuel, oil, gas and coal. This one shipment alone is costing $100m, money that could be invested in clean, renewable energy, instead of being wasted on a dangerous and discredited nuclear industry," Clements added.

On Saturday the Pacific Island Forum issued their strongest statement to date raising their concerns about nuclear shipments and demanded the shipping states, in this case Britain and Japan, accept full liability in the case of accident and also give full notification of routes.

Greenpeace said that BNFL, which owns the cargo and the ships, had refused to publish environmental impact assessments or notify countries en route countries. They have also breached the Exclusive Economic Zones of many states en route, despite demands they stay outside.

The 78-member African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group of countries signed a strongly worded statement against the shipment last month. As South Africa is part of the ACP, and as host nation of the Earth Summit, Greenpeace calls on South Africa to take the lead and join other governments in demanding a ban on nuclear shipments.

"The weapons-grade plutonium on board could make 50 nuclear bombs. BNFL would like to see 100 more shipments like it in the next ten years," warned Clements.

"Not only are they posing an environmental risk by crossing the world's oceans with such a hazardous waste, but they are also guilty of nuclear proliferation on a frightening scale," he added.

- SAPA