Service ships and special tankers
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The Russian Northern Fleet possesses a number of service ships that are used for the transportation and storage of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel. A number of these ships were originally used for collecting liquid and solid radioactive wastes which were then dumped in the Barents and Kara Seas. (For a more detailed discussion of Russian dumping practices, see Bellona report no. 1 - 1994.) [266]
Most of the service ships are connected to the navy yards where nuclear submarines are serviced. At the present time, there are six tankers for liquid radioactive waste in commission with the Northern Fleet. In addition, seven ships/barges are used for the storage of spent fuel. Some of the vessels used for the transportation and storage of spent fuel are also capable of storing liquid waste. Most of the service ships do not comply with current safety standards.[267] The main reason for this is that the ships are old and run down, and routine maintenance has been neglected. All of the tankers in Project 1783 A - Vala class are more than 25 years old.
Even when firm instructions for repair are specifically given, they are rarely followed. The Russian Ministry of Defence's central committee for radiation safety has prohibited the further use of some of the ships for the transportation and storage of radioactive waste. However, the Northern Fleet Command has elected to overlook these instructions.[268]
Many of the service ships lack the instrumentation for radiation measurements, and dosimeter checks for the crew are very infrequent. Though they may still remain in service, 84 % of the tanks and tankers for liquid waste are classified as damaged.[269] Documentation on the ship, its condition and its cargo, although mandatory, is often unsatisfactory. Breaches of regulations are especially common with regards to the transportation of spent nuclear fuel. It has been reported that the ships are often manned by crews of less than half the necessary complement and the men are lacking in education and training.[270] Furthermore, some of the equipment used in loading and unloading the waste is in very poor technical condition. The transport routes of these ships are described in Chapter 7.
Footnotes
[266] Nilsen, T and Bøhmer, N., Sources of Radioactive Contamination in Murmansk and Arkhangelsk Counties,. Bellona Report no.1 :1994. Return
[267] Gosatomnadzor has conducted several inspections in co-operation with navy agencies and is referred to in documents of 1993 and 1994. Return
[268] Mormul, N. Note, 1995. Return
[269] Komsomolskaya Pravda, June 23, 1995. Return
[270] Gosatomnadzor has conducted several inspections in co-operation with navy agencies and are referred to in documents of 1993 and 1994. Return
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