News
Publish date: August 29, 1997
Written by: Igor Kudrik
News
The 25 year old TNT-25, once used for dumping operations in the Barents Sea (and last known to do that in 1991), has been moored at Zvezdochka yard for at least four years, unable to go out at sea. TNT’s hull is badly affected by corrosion and the boat requires dock repairs.
This time the money for the repairs is available; the problem is the 500 cubic meters of liquid radwaste stored on-board. This summer 450 cubic meters of radwaste from the tanker were processed (it was filled to capasity). For the remaining volume of the contaminated water, there is still no solution. The original plans presumed the dock repairs to be finished by the end of 1996.
The Northern Fleet operates four specially constructed tankers of the Vala class (project 1783A). Their average age is 25 years. A fifth Vala-class tanker was taken out of operation some three years ago.
An accident aboard numerous Volgoneft oil tankers in the Kerch in mid December clearly show what can happen to aged ships when they are operated in bad weather—and when economic and military objectives are prioritized over the lives of crews and environmental safety.
In this news digest, we monitor events that impact the environment in the Russian Arctic. Our focus lies in identifying the factors that contribute to pollution and climate change.
A survey of events in the field of nuclear and radiation safety relating to Russia and Ukraine.
A visit last week by Vladimir Putin and a Kremlin entourage to Astana, Kazakhstan sought in part to put Rosatom, Russia’s state nuclear corporation, on good footing with local officials.