BNFL’s Experience in the Transport of Spent Nuclear Fuel

To complement its fuel cycle businesses, BNFL has established the capability to transport radioactive materials arising from all parts of the nuclear fuel cycle. BNFL’s experience in radioactive material transport stretches back more than 30 years and covers many thousands of movements by air, road, rail and sea. BNFL has designed and manufactured flasks for transporting nuclear materials, including both spent oxide and metal fuel. BNFL’s operations encompass every aspect of spent fuel transport including flask design, licensing, manufacture, flask handling supported by technical assistance at all stages of the operation. Independent rail and shipping organisations have been established and operated to undertake these shipments, the operations being supported by comprehensive emergency response arrangements. BNFL’s spent fuel transport operations are underpinned by a fully certificated and audited Quality Assurance System. This paper describes the philosophy and development of BNFL’s transport management system and the equipment utilised including flasks, ships, rail and road vehicles. The paper will focus upon flask design, flask operations, rail transport and contingency planning.