INS / High-level waste shipment departs UK for Germany
As previously announced, the UK will be returning high level-waste (HLW) in the form of vitrified residues to Germany.
The first of the three planned shipments is now safely under way. Six flasks, each containing 28 canisters of HLW, were transported from the Sellafield site, in West Cumbria, to Barrow-in-Furness by rail. The flasks were then loaded to the specialist nuclear transport vessel Pacific Grebe, operated by International Nuclear Services (INS).
The vessel sailed from Barrow at approximately 11pm on Tuesday (27 October), and is now en route to a German port where the flasks will be offloaded for their onward journey by rail to a Federal interim storage facility at Biblis.
The waste results from the reprocessing and recycling of spent nuclear fuel at Sellafield, which had previously been used to produce electricity by utilities in Germany.
INS, part of the UK Government’s Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, draws on more than 40 years’ experience of transporting nuclear materials safely and securely around the world.
This shipment is being carried out in full compliance with all appropriate national and international regulations. Comprehensive Covid-19 measures are in place to protect our crews and port operatives during vessel operations.
INS has contracted with Daher Nuclear Technologies GmbH to safely manage the overland transport in Germany.
The Vitrified Residue Returns programme is a key component of the UK’s strategy to repatriate HLW from Sellafield, fulfil overseas contracts and deliver on Government policy.
INS will provide further information on the shipment in due course.
Contacts:
INS UK: Sam Wilkinson
Mail: sam.wilkinson@innuserv.com
Tel: +44 (0) 7422 077 936
INS European office: Paul Harding
Mail: paul.a.harding@innuserv.fr
Tel: +33 (0)6 73 86 29 00
GNS (GNS Gesellschaft für Nuklear-Service mbH): Michael Köbl
Mail: michael.koebl@gns.de
Tel: +49 (0) 201 109-1444