Friday, March 24, 2023
  • About us
    • Write for us
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms of use
    • Privacy Policy
  • RSS Feeds
  • Advertise with us
  • Contact us
DefenceTalk
  • Home
  • Defense News
    • Defense & Geopolitics News
    • War Conflicts News
    • Army News
    • Air Force News
    • Navy News
    • Missiles Systems News
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Defense Technology
    • Cybersecurity News
  • Military Photos
  • Defense Forum
  • Military Videos
  • Military Weapon Systems
    • Weapon Systems
    • Reports
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Defense News
    • Defense & Geopolitics News
    • War Conflicts News
    • Army News
    • Air Force News
    • Navy News
    • Missiles Systems News
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Defense Technology
    • Cybersecurity News
  • Military Photos
  • Defense Forum
  • Military Videos
  • Military Weapon Systems
    • Weapon Systems
    • Reports
No Result
View All Result
DefenceTalk
No Result
View All Result

France to send latest nuclear shipment to Japan

by DefenceTalk
September 8, 2022
in Nuclear Weapons News
2 min read
0
France to send latest nuclear shipment to Japan
14
VIEWS

The departure of a shipment of reprocessed nuclear fuel from France to Japan has been delayed due to the breakdown of loading equipment, a French nuclear technology company announced Wednesday.

The setback came as environmental campaigners denounced the practice of transporting such highly radioactive materials.

The shipment arrived on two separate lorries under heavy security in the small hours of Wednesday morning at the French port city of Cherbourg. It was bound for Japan for use in a power plant.

But French nuclear technology group Orano, which is handling the transport, said Wednesday that the breakdown of one of its lifting gantries had prevented the loading of one of the two packages.

It would therefore be returned to the Orano site 20 kilometres (13 miles) from the port.

The company was doing what it could to organise a fresh sea transport as soon as possible, Orano added.

The previous transport of Mox fuel to Japan, in September 2021, drew protests from environmental group Greenpeace.

Yannick Rousselet of Greenpeace France had already denounced the latest planned shipment.

“Transporting such dangerous materials from a nuclear proliferation point of view is completely irresponsible,” he said.

He described the latest development, in which part of the shipment had had to be returned to the Orano facility as unprecedented.

“A boat loaded with Mox is going to circle in the water while they make a round trip (of 40 kilometres) with a container of Mox,” he said.

Highly radioactive
Japan lacks facilities to process waste from its own nuclear reactors and sends most of it overseas, particularly to France.

The load of highly radioactive Mox, a mixture of reprocessed plutonium and uranium, was transported overnight from a plant in the Hague in secure containers on two trucks, Orano said.

The convoy arrived around 3:45 am (0145 GMT) at the port surrounded by law enforcement vehicles, according to an AFP photographer.

Shortly after 6:00 am, the first fuel package was loaded aboard a specially designed ship from British company PNTL, which has extensive experience with this type of transport, Orano said.

That ship has taken up a holding position out at sea, said the company. Armed British police were still on board the vessel, it added.

It will take a little more than two months for the ship to reach Japan, said Orano — the eighth such shipment from France since 1999.

Mox is composed of 92 percent uranium oxide and eight percent plutonium oxide, according to Orano.

The plutonium “is not the same as that used by the military,” it said.

Tags: francejapannuclear fuelnuclear technology
Previous Post

US approves $2 bn military loans and grants to Ukraine, neighbors

Next Post

US military announces plan to test ICBM

Related Posts

North Korea says Kim ordered test of ‘new type’ of ICBM

North Korea adopts war deterrence measures: state media

March 13, 2023

North Korea has decided to take "important practical" war deterrence measures, state media reported Sunday, a day before Seoul and...

Putin: Russia battling ‘Western domination’ as Ukraine war grinds on

Russian deputies back Putin over nuclear arms treaty

February 23, 2023

Russian lawmakers on Wednesday unanimously approved the suspension of Moscow's participation in the New START arms treaty, which President Vladimir...

Next Post
Austin Postpones Test of Minuteman III Missile

US military announces plan to test ICBM

Latest Defense News

Russian navy in show of strength with 26 new ships this year

Russian navy ‘repelled’ drone attack on Crimea port

March 23, 2023
Officials provide details on building the Space Force, its structure, and operating imperatives

Reagan’s ‘Star Wars’ at 40: Battle of the satellites

March 23, 2023
China will ‘never commit to abandoning the use of force’ on Taiwan: Xi

China diplomatic offensive lays down new challenge for US

March 22, 2023
Hwasong-17 ICBM

North Korea fires ‘long-range’ missile as S. Korea president heads to Japan

March 16, 2023
North Korea fires multiple suspected cruise missiles

North Korea fires two ballistic missiles, Seoul says

March 14, 2023
Australia to get nuclear submarines in new US, British partnership

Australia to buy US nuclear subs in ambitious new pact

March 14, 2023

Defense Forum Discussions

  • Royal Australian Air Force [RAAF] News, Discussions and Updates
  • Australian Army Discussions and Updates
  • Royal Australian Navy Discussions and Updates 2.0
  • General Naval News
  • Italian Navy Discussions and Updates
  • NZDF General discussion thread
  • The Russian-Ukrainian War Thread
  • (4K) 2 Eurofighter Typhoon German Air Force Luftwaffe departure at Neuburg Donau Airbase ETSN
  • Italian Air Force Update and Topic
  • Indian Navy Discussions and Updates
DefenceTalk

© 2003-2020 DefenceTalk.com

Navigate Site

  • Defence Forum
  • Military Photos
  • RSS Feeds
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Contact us

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Defense News
    • Defense & Geopolitics News
    • War Conflicts News
    • Army News
    • Air Force News
    • Navy News
    • Missiles Systems News
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Defense Technology
    • Cybersecurity News
  • Military Photos
  • Defense Forum
  • Military Videos
  • Military Weapon Systems
    • Weapon Systems
    • Reports

© 2003-2020 DefenceTalk.com