27 June, 2002
The Rt Hon. Alistair Darling MP
Secretary of State for Transport
Elland House
Bressenden Place
London
SWIE 5DU
Dear Alastair
I am writing to seek clarification regarding information that has been brought to my attention about the possibility of serious corrosion problems affecting ships the within the Pacific Nuclear Transport fleet of Pacific Nuclear Transport Ltd (PNTL), which is majority owned by British Nuclear Fuels plc.
According to my information I understand that during summer 2001 the nuclear PNTL cargo ship Pacific Crane underwent a routine survey and that “certain” steel plate tank tops, separating the cargo area from the fuel area, were reported to have corroded. This survey of the Pacific Crane is recorded in the Lloyds Register Classification Survey Dates Supplement.
This corrosion had exceeded the 30% wastage level permitted by the Lloyds Classification society. Lloyds subsequently agreed that 60% of the affected area should be repaired (at minimal cost) and that the remaining 40% of the work should be completed later. The Pacific Crane received its remedial work at Garvel Dry Dock in Greenock, Scotland, from 31st July to 14 August 2001.
It is apparent that the cause of the corrosion was poor initial design of the refrigeration (cargo cooling) and condensation removal systems. In house BNFL studies were subsequently initiated on the remaining Pacific Nuclear Fleet (Pacific Swan, Pacific Teal, Pacific Pintail and Pacific Sandpiper) and the European Shearwater (registered owners British Nuclear Transport Ltd). Surveys in particular of the Pacific Pintail and Pacific Teal, according to the Lloyds Register Classification Survey Dates Supplement, took place in November 2001 after the steel plate corrosion problems in the Pacific Crane were identified. It is understood that initial results of these tests indicate similar corrosion problems on all vessels.
It seems clear that any significant corrosion of plates will weaken the vessel’s infrastructure and reduce it’s impact survival capabilities in a collision or grounding scenario. Also the ship’s ability to withstand severe weather impacts and its ability to withstand fire or explosion events will be weakened.
Given that the Pacific Pintail and Pacific Teal are currently in Japan awaiting the loading of the falsified and rejected BNFL plutonium MOX for the 18,000 miles journey back to the UK, I am concerned that the structural integrity of the two armed nuclear freighters may be affected by the corrosion problems. Currently it is winter in the Southern Hemisphere and two of the three most likely routes for the shipment from Japan to UK will involve crossing the Southern Ocean or around Cape Horn. These routes are classed as Marine High Risk Areas based on Lloyds statistics of ship losses. It seems therefore that there is a potential risk to the safe navigation of the Pacific Teal and Pacific Pintail should they be suffering from structural corrosion within the treacherous winter seas of the Southern Hemisphere.
As the issues I have raised have very serious implications for the protection of coastal communities and environment along the world-wide routes, I would request that information is made publicly available as soon as possible to allow independent assessment of the apparent corrosion problems that may affect the Pacific Nuclear Fleet ships.
I therefore wish to receive the following information;
i. A copy of the 2001 Annual Survey for the Pacific Crane including
the Hull Survey sections, and copies of all previous Annual Surveys;
ii. A copy of the Lloyds agreement for the remedial work on the corroded
plate sections;
iii. Details of the remedial work conducted by the Garvel Dry Dock in
Greenock;
iv. Copies of the Continuous Survey Hull for the Pacific Crane and all
previous Surveys;
v. A copy of the Annual surveys for the Pacific Teal and the Pacific
Pintail including the Hull Survey sections;
vi. Details of any remedial work conducted on the Pacific Teal and Pintail
for plate corrosion since the Annual Inspection in November 2001;
vii. A copy of the risk assessment conducted by Lloyds on the reduced
structural integrity of the Pacific fleet ships due to corrosion problems;
viii. Details of the increased insurance premiums and excess penalties
imposed by Lloyds as a result of the Pacific Nuclear Fleet ships not
meeting full classification as a result of corrosion problems.
ix. Copies of the original detailed designs for the PNTL fleet.
I believe that a full and open disclosure of information on this issue is imperative given that yet another shipment of hazardous nuclear material, in the form of the rejected plutonium MOX, is about to depart onto the world’s most dangerous oceans.
Yours sincerely,
David Chaytor MP
cc. Patricia Hewitt, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
Norman Askew, Chief Executive, BNFL
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