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British nuclear freighters depart Japan en route to UK

The armed British nuclear transport ship, Pacific Pintail sailing into Takahama, Japan on 14 June 2002. Enlarge Image

Courts asked to halt plutonium transport

Greenpeace will seek a High Court Injunction in London at 10.30am Thursday to halt British Nuclear Fuels´ (BNFL´s) and Pacific Nuclear Transport´s (PNTL´s) planned shipment of plutonium from Japan to the UK.

Plutonium transport ship "Pacific Teal" leaves Barrow Lock. first destination Cherbourg. Enlarge Image

Plutonium freighter reaches Japan

When the armed British nuclear transport ship Pacific Pintail sailed into a Japanese port today, it was met by protests from local Japanese anti-nuclear activists and Greenpeace.

The Greenpeace flagship, the Rainbow Warrior, today began the first leg of the 'Choose Positive Energy Tour' in a global journey to support the development of renewable energy around the world. Enlarge Image

Plutonium or Wind?

An armed ship prepares to depart Japan with a deadly cargo of plutonium waste. A sailboat sets out from an offshore windfarm. Which one of these vessels will represent the energy future of the world?

Nakajima Tetsuen, anti-nuclear activist Enlarge Image

Nuclear neighbours face protest in Japan and Ireland

From the heart of an ancient temple in forested hills just in from Japans’ western coast comes an unlikely opponent to Japan's plutonium programme: Nakajima Tetsuen, Chief Priest at the 1200 year old Myotsuji temple.

HMS Nottingham, one of the British Navy's most advanced destroyers ran aground off the east coast of Australia. Enlarge Image

Possible plutonium security escort HMS Nottingham runs aground in rough weather off the coast of Australia.

Shortly after a flotilla of small boats set out to protest a shipment of weapons-usable plutonium through the Tasman sea, a possible security escort, the HMS Nottingham, ran aground off the east coast of Australia.

The BNFL Pacific Pintail breaching the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Federated States of Micronesia. Enlarge Image

Nuclear transports endanger Pacific States

Currently a highly dangerous nuclear cargo is being transported across the Pacific en route from Japan to the UK. The two armed ships carrying enough plutonium to make 50 nuclear bombs have completely disregarded several requests from Pacific Governments to remain outside their Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ).

Greenpeace and Nuclear Free Seas Flotilla between Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands in the Tasman Sea wait for the two armed nuclear freighters The Pacific Pintail and Pacific Teal to deliver their protest message. Enlarge Image

Flotilla stops nuclear shipment in its tracks

For almost a week eleven small yachts have been heading across the Pacific to demonstrate the huge public opposition to the shipment of highly dangerous nuclear cargo that is being transported across the Pacific en route from Japan to the UK. Now they are in position on the route of the shipment. But the two armed nuclear freighters seem reluctant to face the full glare of publicity.

Ian Cohen,MLC N.S.W Parliment, the Greens ,and crew member of the African Queen,one of the Pacific Peace Fleet Flotilla,Stuart Lennox, seen here in the water near the Pacific Teal, one of the two ships bringing plutonium through the Tasman. Enlarge Image

Protest flotilla success: plutonium ship intercepted

The plutonium transport ships are large, fast and bristling with guns and security personnel. But they balked at the prospect of passing a tiny flotilla of sailboats armed only with cameras, because it posed one unbearable risk: exposing a deadly and foolhardy mission to the full glare of public scrutiny.

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Boats have already set off from New Zealand and Australia to form a flotilla that will oppose the plutonium shipment on route through the Pacific. Find out more about the Nuclear Free Seas Flotilla and the couragous people taking a stand against the giant plutonium frieghter in the rough winter weather of the Pacific ocean. Updates from the crew of the MV Arctic Sunrise.