PACIFIC GREBE

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Unloading of nuclear waste completed

The last of the Castor containers have been unloaded from the 'Pacific Grebe' in Nordenham on Nov 3. The cargo operations had been interrupted due to inclement weather conditions in the afternoon of Nov 2, but resumed in the evening when the fourth of six containers was unloaded. In the morning of Nov 3 the work was continued and completed in the foremidday hours so that the nuclear waste can be transported to Biblis by train the departure of which was not yet known.

Nuclear carrier without AIS signal heading from England to Germany

The 'Pacific Grebe' carrying six castor containers was expected in Norenham on Nov 2, 2020, at the earliest. Nuclear opponents had already expected the arrival on Oct 31. When exactly the ship will arrive depended on the weather conditions. The nuclear freighter can only dock during high tide. For tactical reasons, the police did not provide any information about the whereabouts of the ship. Officers were already on duty at sea, on land and in the air on Oct 31 to monitor the transport. The train with the white transport containers was already waiting at the pier. Around a day was expected for unloading the containers from the ship and a subsequent radiation measurement, if the weather cooperates and the work of the wind-sensitive cranes does not have to be interrupted. Then the transport can start. It initially goes from the Midgard Port in Nordenham on a single-track route to Hude. There it is decided whether the train goes via Delmenhorst and Osnabrück to Biblis in Hesse or heads for the destination via Oldenburg and Papenburg. According to the federal police, both rail routes have been secured. The police guarded the port area of ​​the city with a large contingent. In Nordenham, Oldenburg and Göttingen, opponents of nuclear power protested against the transport on Oct 31. On Nov 1 in the morning, the "Stop Castor" alliance stated that it continued its protest in Nordenham. In Bremen, the organization "Robin Wood" demonstrated on Nov 1 at the main station. In addition, a vigil of the Bremen alliance "Stop the Castor" has been present on the station forecourt since Oct 31 . Protests were also announced for Nov 1 in Göttingen and Münster. The "Pacific Grebe" left the port of Barrow-in-Furness in the evening of OCt 27. The vessel switched off the AIS before leaving the port. Because this is a violation of international maritime law, the opponents of nuclear power have reported the owner of the ship. For ships of a certain size, the AIS is mandatory in maritime traffic in order to avoid collisions. Only warships are not covered by these regulations. The ship finally arrived in Nordenham on Nov 2 at 6.40 a.m., and cargo operations commenced soon after. Report with photo: https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/niedersachsen/oldenburg_ostfriesland/Castor-Behaelter-werden-in-Nordenham-auf-Zug-verladen,castortransport190.html