News
Publish date: March 12, 1998
Written by: Igor Kudrik
News
The Malina-class naval nuclear fuel transport ship PM-63 is permanently stationed in the waters of Severodvinsk Zvezdochka shipyard. The vessel is the only one in Severodvinsk capable of performing refueling operations and loading TUK-18 railway cars with spent nuclear fuel. In September last year, the city council of Severodvinsk issued a resolution saying that PM-63 will be granted permission to perform operations involving spent nuclear fuel only after overhaul repairs.
This year, the Russian Defence Ministry has allocated 1,8 million USD for repairs of the vessel. In the meantime, the sum required is estimated to be more than 5 million USD. Nevertheless, Navy officials in Severodvinsk believe the fuel will be shipped this May.
On January 30, 1998, this year’s first nuclear transport train left Atomflots nuclear ice-breakers base in Murmansk, carrying both civilian and naval spent fuel from maritime reactors. The leadership of the atomic ice-breakers fleet hopes to perform nine more shipments this year.
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.