NFT News No.19 (November 2005)
- Completion of New Emergency Response Room (January 2005)
- Transport of Spent Fuel to Tokai for Power Companies Comes to an End (April 1, 2005)
- Rokuei Maru Receives Best Quality Ship Award (May 17th, 2005)
- Approval Certificates of the Package Design and Approval Certificates of the Packaging Renewed (May 17th, 2005 to June 3, 2005)
- TAG/CAG Meeting Held in Japan for First Time in Four Years (May 24-25, 2005)
- Surveying Transport Conditions Overseas
- Visit from the Korea’s KHNP (June 2005)
As a company specialized in transporting radioactive materials, NFT bears responsibility for monitoring safe operations of the transport ships during voyage and for promptly grasping the situation and responding with precision should an accident occur, in coordination with other related entities. For this reason, NFT has established the Emergency Response Room.
A multivision system was set up, furniture and other office items brought in, and glass panels installed in December 2004. The new Emergency Response Room was completed and operations commenced in January 2005.
Drill involving communication and coordination during an emergency using the Emergency Response Room.
Transport of spent fuel to the Tokai plant based on a reprocessing service contract with power companies and the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), which had started in January 1978, was brought to an end on November 30, 2004. Beginning in fiscal 2005, and for the immediate future, transport of spent fuel to Tokai will only be for JAEA’s Fugen Nuclear Power Station. For this reason, NFT reduced operations at the Tokai Transport Office and, on April 1, 2005, changed its name to the Tokai Transport Liaison Office, positioning it under the Transport Department in the Head Office.
On May 17th, NFT’s spent fuel transport vessel, the Rokuei Maru, was recognized as an outstanding ship from the perspective of pilots by the Japanese Pilots’ Association, and received the association’s Best Quality Ship Award.
The award was established last year by the association and is given to ten ships selected from around the country, which are recognized as outstanding in terms of both safe navigation and preservation of harbors and the maritime environment. This year, Rokuei Maru was selected from the Japan Sea region, while last year Seiei Maru, a dedicated transport vessel for low-level radioactive waste, won the award from the Hokkaido region.
Receiving this award two consecutive years is a meaningful achievement to all of us who are involved in the nuclear fuel cycle business.
The photo shows Captain Sato of the Rokuei Maru receiving the award.
Approval Certificates of the Package Design and Approval Certificates of the Packaging Renewed (May 17th, 2005 to June 3, 2005)
Approval certificates of the package design (renewal) were issued from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry on May 17th, 2005 for NFT-type, TN28VT-type and BNFL3320-type packagings. Approval certificates of the packaging (renewal) were issued from the Ministry on May 24th for NFT-14P-type packagings, and on June 3rd for other NFT-type and TN28VT-type packagings. The first BNFL3320-type transport packaging is currently in the process of being manufactured.
NFT-type packaging
TN28VT-type packaging
The Technical Advisory Group and Communications Advisory Group Meeting (TAG/CAG Meeting) organaized by the World Nuclear Transport Institute (WNTI) was held in Tokyo on May 24-25. A total of around 60 people participated, including WNTI members and guests from all over the world.
NFT, which is a WNTI member, gave a presentation on radioactive material transport within Japan and related issues (photo). The presentation served as an opportunity for WNTI members from overseas to gain a deeper understanding of transport conditions in Japan, and of NFT’s activities.
NFT has conducted safe transport of radioactive materials in Japan for 30 years, but in order to secure even greater levels of safety and further improve transport technologies, we conducted wide-ranging discussions with companies from around the world. These discussions were extremely valuable to NFT, and we would like to extend our warmest thanks to all those companies who responded.
Visit in October 2004: Germany, Sweden, United Kingdom and France
Visit in June 2005: United State
On June 27-28, the Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. visited NFT for the purpose of exchanging opinions with us on the transport of low-level radioactive waste, a field in which we have many years of experience and a long record of achievement. NFT gave a detailed presentation on transporting low-level radioactive waste in Japan and on the dedicated transport vessel Seiei Maru.