PUBLIC ACCEPTANCE OF TRANSPORT: INTERNATIONAL STATUS

In the framework ofreprocessing-recycling policy chosen by the Japanese utilities in order to satisfy Japan's energy need, sea transports ofspent fuel have been carried out for twenty years between Japan and Europe. All these sea shipments have been realized without any specific public interest. In 1992, the voyage of the Akatsuki Maru, carrying Japanese plutonium from COGEMA-La Hague reprocessing plant to Japan marked the beginning o f interest to this kind o f transports. Some concerns have been voiced by en-route States having the feeling that nuclear material is shipped « through their backyard », and in the same time anti-nuclear organizations generated some issues on this activity. Suddenly, transportation issues which had for many years taken a back seat to other nuclear topics, have met an increasing global questioning. These circumstances went on during the first return ofvitrified residues in 1995. Facing this situation, the industrial community - COGEMA, in close cooperation with its Japanese and British partners- has decided to implement a dedicated communication. It works to facilitate each on-going shipment, but also to help acceptance of coming transport campaign: for instance, one has indeed to keep in mind that one or two shipments by year of vitrified residues will take place in the next ten years.