MPC&A ACTIVITIES WITH RUSSIAN ICEBREAKER FLEET

Since 1994, the United States and the Russian Federation have had demonstrated success in a nuclear weapons non-proliferation program called Material Protection Control and Accountability (MPC&A). In 1996, the collaboration expanded to include safeguarding Russian naval propulsion activities, primarily the safeguarding of highly enriched nuclear fuel assemblies. These activities include Russia's civilian nuclear propelled Icebreaker fleet operated by the Murmansk Shipping Company for the Russian Ministry of Transportation. The fleet is based at the Atomflot port in Murmansk, Russia and consists of 8 nuclear propelled vessels and 2 non-nuclear support vessels in which fresh and spent nuclear fuel assemblies are stored. Due to similar collaborative activities in the Murmansk region between Russia and the countries of Norway and Sweden, a framework for a multi-national collaborative effort was established between the four countries in August 1996. This paper describes the process in which the four countries have worked together since September 1996, to conduct an assessment of the existing physical protection and material control and accounting measures at the Murmansk Atomflot port and the Icebreaker fleet, and develop proposed MPC&A system enhancements for the ships and port.