From: Greenpeace vessel MV Solo tracking Pacific Pintail
Date: WED 5-APR-95 06:08:21 GMT - DAY 42, PART I

NUCLEAR WASTE SHIP SIX DAYS FROM HAWAII

http://www.greenpeace.org/~comms/42.html (Einblicke ins Internet, 10/1995)

The Pacific Pintail's position (0600 GMT) is 03 degrees 38 minutes south, and 137 degrees and 13 minutes west, and the ship's course is 319 degrees, sailing at a speed of 14 knots. The ship is 6 steaming days from Hawaii. For distances to Pacific Islands please see enclosed table.

While the Pacific Pintail with its cargo of 14 tonnes of deadly radioactive waste is steaming toward Hawaii, the countries responsible for the shipment of radioactive waste continue to refuse to reveal over which exact route the ship will continue its voyage to Japan. The Pacific Pintail could either go north or south of Hawaii, or could stop in a Hawaiian port in case of an emergency, or for repairs.

Given the lack of information about the shipment, and the severe consequences of an accident to the environment, the people and the economy of Hawaii, Greenpeace calls on the government of Hawaii not to allow the Pacific Pintail to enter the waters under its jurisdiction--particularly since the companies involved have refused to carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment and to provide credible emergency plan information.

While the Pacific Pintail is slowly approaching Hawaii, the US Department of Energy has brushed aside concerns expressed over the shipment by US Representative Abercombie from Hawaii. Representative Abercombie and other US leaders questioned the safety of the shipment and demanded for a full safety study to be conducted. Previous demands by the elected US representatives for independent safety and security studies on plutonium and high level waste shipments were blocked by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The high level glassified radioactive waste onboard of the Pintail has been generated in the course of the production of commercial plutonium for Japan in the French plutonium plant la Hague. The production of commercially available plutonium is likely to be a substantiative topic of discussion during the Extension Conference of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), in New York (April 17).

Greenpeace calls on all nations not to allow the plutonium production by a handful of nations to be set in stone by extending the NPT as it is indefinitely. Contact your government officials and ask them not to bow to the will of nuclear nations but instead to stand firm in supporting a new, stronger NPT that will work toward eliminating nuclear weapons and nuclear material--the original mandate of the NPT.

Pacific State City/Island Distance/Direction to P's course

Hawaii Honolulu 1,940 miles, straight ahead of PP
Islas Marquisas Ua-Huka 345 miles, 120 degrees left of PP
Tahiti Papeete 1,100 miles, 100 degrees left of PP
Kiribati Bairiki 3,010 miles, 45 degrees left of PP
Nauru Nauru Island 3,380 miles, 45 degrees left of PP
Western Samoa Apia 2,150 miles, 65 degrees left of PP
American Samoa Pago Pago 2,110 miles, 70 degrees left of PP
Tonga Nuku'Alofa 2,415 miles, 75 degrees left of PP
Tuvalu Funafuti 2,650 miles, 55 degrees left of PP
Fiji Suva 2,765 miles, 70 degrees left of PP
Solomon Isl. Honiara 3,760 miles, 55 degrees left of PP
Vanuatu Palikulo Bay 3,390 miles, 60 degrees left of PP
F.S. Micronesia Pohnpei 3,950 miles, 40 degrees left of PP
Marshall Isl. Bikini 3,560 miles, 35 degrees left of PP
Guamn Guam 4,770 miles, 40 degrees left of PP

For additional information on the Pacific Pintail's voyage or it's cargo of plutonium waste, contact Bas Bruyne on the Solo (phone: ++872-1301166--WARNING $10 PER MINUTE), or Karen Richardson at Greenpeace UK (phone: ++44-171-226-3151). Photo, video, or other media requests to Blair Palese at Greenpeace Communications (phone: ++44-171-833-0600).

Best regards and No Nukes!
Ulf Birgander (Captain) Bas Bruyne (Campaigner)

From: Greenpeace vessel MV Solo tracking Pacific Pintail
Date: WED 5-APR-95 19:07:43 GMT - DAY 42, PART II

PACIFIC PINTAIL HEADING STRAIGHT FOR HAWAII

The Pacific Pintail's position (1900 GMT) is 01 degree 20 minutes South, and 139 degrees and 09 minutes West, and the ship's course is 319 degrees, sailing at a speed of 13.5 knots. The ship is 5.5 days steaming from Hawaii. For distances to Pacific Islands please see enclosed table.

While the Pacific Pintail with its cargo of 14 tonnes of deadly radioactive waste is steaming straight for Hawaii, the countries responsible for the shipment of radioactive waste continue to refuse to reveal over which exact route the ship will continue its voyage to Japan. The Pacific Pintail could either go North or South of Hawaii, and could stop in a Hawaiian port in case of an emergency, or for repairs.

The government of Hawaii should demand that this and future nuclear waste transports not be made until a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment is completed with full participation of nations and territories at risk. Such a study is required under the terms of US National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) since there is no doubt that a serious fire onboard the Pacific Pintail would severely impact the delicate ecosystems of Hawaii.

While the Pacific Pintail is approaching Hawaii, the US Department of Energy has brushed aside concerns expressed over the shipment by US Representative Abercombie from Hawaii. Representative Abercombie and other US leaders questioned the safety of the shipment and demanded for a full safety study to be conducted. Previous demands by the elected US representatives for independent safety and security studies on plutonium and high level waste shipments were blocked by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The production of commercially available plutonium has always been perceived as an grave danger to serious non-proliferation objectives. The US abandoned its own commercial plutonium production programs out of-non-proliferation concerns. Plutonium production is likely to be a substantiative topic of discussion during the Extension Conference of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), in New York (April 17).

Direction and distances of the radioactive waste shipment with the Pacific Pintail to some of Pacific Island States. The Pacific Pintail sails per day a distance of approximately 330 nautical miles.