Greenpeace's campaign to Stop Plutonium Terror

MV Esperanza.

Deadly plutonium shipment off South Africa shamed and running from Greenpeace as Earth Summit nears

18 August, 2002

***Latest news from MV Esperanza***

Cape Town - A deadly cargo of 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.

The ships, armed with three 30mm cannons each, have significantly altered course and are currently running scared, south into the " Roaring Forties", in order to avoid meeting the Greenpeace vessel.

Given the deadly nature of the cargo Greenpeace has committed not to interfere with the passage or navigation of the vessels. The international environmental organisation seeks only to bear witness to this abuse of the high seas.

"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 $100 million, money that could be invested in clean, renewable energy, instead of being wasted on a dangerous and discredited nuclear industry," Clements added.

The two ships, the Pacific Pintail and the Pacific Teal, have already gone to great lengths to avoid facing public and political pressure.

Their departure from Japan on July 4th was marked by Greenpeace protests and it has been met with stiff opposition and protest since. Just yesterday the Pacific Island Forum (PIF) 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.

British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL), which owns the cargo and the ships, has refused to publish environmental impact assessments or notify en route countries. In addition they have already breached the Exclusive Economic Zones of many en route states, despite demands they stay outside.

The 78-member African, Caribbean and Pacific group of countries (ACP) 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.

The 255 kilos of plutonium is being sent back from Japan to the UK after it was revealed by Greenpeace that BNFL, which owns the waste, falsified the safety data of the cargo when they originally sent it to Japan in 1999.

Contacts:

- Sara Holden, Greenpeace press officer on board MV Esperanza
- Tom Clements, Greenpeace Nuclear campaigner on board the MV

Esperanza:
Both contactable via Inmarsat telephone: 00871 762 486 544 /545

Breaking news from MV Esperanza

- Mike Townsley, Greenpeace Nuclear campaigner in Cape Town +27(0) 83 545 2193
- Susan Cavanagh, Greenpeace press officer in Johannesburg +27(0) 82 858 8407

Photos and Video available though the Greenpeace Earth Summit Office in Johannesburg:

Photos: Steve Morgan (+27) 828583449
Video: David Woolford (+27) 828583110

Notes:

The Esperanza, which is in South Africa as part of the Greenpeace's Earth Summit campaign, set sail from Cape Town yesterday. Greenpeace has had the shipment under surveillance since it left Japan on July 4th and will continue to track their progress.

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Press Releases Archive Links	MV Esperanza. Deadly plutonium shipment off South Africa shamed and running from Greenpeace as Earth Summit nears 18 August, 2002 *Latest news from MV Esperanza* Cape Town - A deadly cargo of 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. The ships, armed with three 30mm cannons each, have significantly altered course and are currently running scared, south into the " Roaring Forties", in order to avoid meeting the Greenpeace vessel. Given the deadly nature of the cargo Greenpeace has committed not to interfere with the passage or navigation of the vessels. The international environmental organisation seeks only to bear witness to this abuse of the high seas. "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 $100 million, money that could be invested in clean, renewable energy, instead of being wasted on a dangerous and discredited nuclear industry," Clements added. The two ships, the Pacific Pintail and the Pacific Teal, have already gone to great lengths to avoid facing public and political pressure. Their departure from Japan on July 4th was marked by Greenpeace protests and it has been met with stiff opposition and protest since. Just yesterday the Pacific Island Forum (PIF) 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. British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL), which owns the cargo and the ships, has refused to publish environmental impact assessments or notify en route countries. In addition they have already breached the Exclusive Economic Zones of many en route states, despite demands they stay outside. The 78-member African, Caribbean and Pacific group of countries (ACP) 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. The 255 kilos of plutonium is being sent back from Japan to the UK after it was revealed by Greenpeace that BNFL, which owns the waste, falsified the safety data of the cargo when they originally sent it to Japan in 1999. Contacts: - Sara Holden, Greenpeace press officer on board MV Esperanza - Tom Clements, Greenpeace Nuclear campaigner on board the MV Esperanza: Both contactable via Inmarsat telephone: 00871 762 486 544 /545 Breaking news from MV Esperanza - Mike Townsley, Greenpeace Nuclear campaigner in Cape Town +27(0) 83 545 2193 - Susan Cavanagh, Greenpeace press officer in Johannesburg +27(0) 82 858 8407 Photos and Video available though the Greenpeace Earth Summit Office in Johannesburg: Photos: Steve Morgan (+27) 828583449 Video: David Woolford (+27) 828583110 Notes: The Esperanza, which is in South Africa as part of the Greenpeace's Earth Summit campaign, set sail from Cape Town yesterday. Greenpeace has had the shipment under surveillance since it left Japan on July 4th and will continue to track their progress. Back