On April 15, the Pacific Swan arrived at Mutsu-Ogawara port adjacent to JNFL’s Rokkasho site carrying 40 cannisters of vitrified high level waste belonging to Kansai Electric, JAPC and Chubu Electric power companies. The casks were unloaded the same day and transported by road to the Vitrified Waste Storage Centre. Private roads are used for this purpose but at one point the transporters have to cross a national highway and about 100 demonstrators gathered at the crossing.

The consignment was the fourth delivery of vitrified waste from France to Rokkasho. The storage facility will contain 168 canisters after this consignment has been added. At present it has space for 1440 cannisters, with expansion to 3000 canisters likely.