Greenpeace Flagship to Lead Anti-Sellafield Flotilla

The Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior will lead the flotilla of yachts protesting the shipment of a deadly plutonium cargo through the Irish Sea to Sellafield in early September. It will sail from Ireland and Britain into the Irish Sea to witness the return of the ships and there will be a public launch in Dublin on Sunday 1st September.

The flotilla is being organised by Nuclear Free Seas Flotilla, to peacefully protest against the shipment of mixed oxide

Flotilla Protest in the Pacific

(MOX) fuel pellets from Japan to Sellafield. The material is being returned to the UK because, after being shipped as fuel to Japan in 1999, it was revealed that the manufacturer, BNFL, had falsified critical safety data during its production.

The protesters claim that the shipment is a floating terrorist target and a dangerous hazard and that its purpose is for BNFL to be able to get new contracts with its Japanese customers. This would result in yet more shipments of plutonium fuel, perhaps as many as 80 over the next decade.

The Two BNFL cargo ships, the Pacific Pintail and the Pacific Teal are currently at sea in the southern Indian

The Rainbow Warrior

Ocean between Australia and South Africa.

The Irish Sea Flotilla is likely to be out for about three days sometime between the 4th and 9th of September depending on the arrival of the nuclear cargo boats.

According to Ron van der Horst, the coordinator of the Irish Sea Flotilla anyone with a suitable boat who is interested is being invited to participate and there may also be space for those without boats. The Flotilla will not intervene in any way with the cargo vessels but is intended witness their passing and mark out the event for all to see. Those interested can contact Ron at 086-6055661 or by email at irishseaflotilla@yahoo.co.uk