Confirmation yesterday from Eneregy Minister John Battle that the BNFL ships to be used in transporting plutonium fuel from Sellafield to Japan this spring will be armed has been roundly condemned by CORE (Cumbrians Opposed to a Radioactive Environment). The ships will also carry extra military guards on the 40-day, 15,000 mile journey. CORE said today “ The announcement makes a mockery of BNFL’s claims that plutonium fuel presents no threat from terrorists or is in any way dangerous. Arming what are supposed to be civil ships carrying supposedly civil materials highlights the real dangers of this unecessary plutonium trade with all its obvious proliferation risks . The fuel will contain enough plutonium for over 20 nuclear bombs “. The Japanese contract for 8 plutonium-fuel (MOX) assemblies is destined for the Takahama power station operated by Kansai Electric Power in central Japan. Made at Sellafield’s MOX Demonstration Facility the fuel will contain over 200 kg of plutonium. Following 4 months of observations in Barrow Docks, CORE can identify the ships as being the Pacific Teal and the Pacific Pintail. The ships, part of Sellafield’s fleet of six vessels operated by Pacific Nuclear Transport Ltd, are managed by shipping agents James Fisher & Sons of Barrow-in-Furness. In September 1998 BNFL announced that the Teal and Pintail were to have their crews’ accommodation “enhanced” and their navigation and communications systems upgraded, the work being carried out at the VSEL Buccleuch Dock in Barrow and due for completion “early next spring”. CORE’s observations confirm that new and additional accommodation structures have been added to the stern sections of both ships, with other structures added forward of both ships’ bridges. The old communications systems have been removed and the ships now waiting for new equipment to be installed. CORE added today “ What better place to arm the ships than the Vickers shipyard, home of the Trident nuclear submarines and weaponary. We believe many locals will be greatly concerned by this move which brings shame on Britain’s merchant marine “ Notes: The 1992 return shipment of plutonium from France to Japan in the converted BNFL ship Pacific Crane was escorted from France by an armed Japanese escort ship. Plutonium nitrate shipments from Dounreay to Sellafield are met at Workington Docks by armed police teams.