International Nuclear Services

End of an era for the European Shearwater

As reported on the 15 June 2009, one of the vessels operated by International Nuclear Services to transport a range of nuclear materials between the UK and mainland Europe, has been taken out of service and has been sent for recycling.

The European Shearwater, that has been in service since 1981, has left the port at Barrow and is being towed to the Netherlands where it will be cleaned, dismantled and then broken up for recycling.

Alastair Brown, International Nuclear Services Operations Director said: “The European Shearwater, an INF 3 classified ship, was designed to the same standards as the PNTL fleet. The vessel has given many years of excellent service, making a number of important journeys transporting nuclear materials.

“The decommissioning of the Shearwater will be undertaken safely and in an environmentally sensitive way – where practical all materials from the vessel will be recycled. Last year the Pacific Teal was decommissioned and we achieved a very high percentage - 97 per cent - of material recycled, and we are striving towards this level again.”

The method that will be used satisfies all the internationally recognised regulations and guidelines for this kind of operation. It meets the requirements of the Basel International Convention, part of the United Nations Environment Programme which establishes a framework for controlling the movement of hazardous wastes across international boundaries and the criteria for environmentally sound management.

It also meets the requirements of the International Maritime Organisation’s Recommendations on Ship Recycling and the requirements of the International Chamber of Shipping’s code of practice.