NIS Nuclear Information Service | submarines/X and Z births

Southampton nuclear submarine visit puts public safety in jeopardy

An imminent visit by nuclear powered submarine HMS Torbay to Southampton Docks has been condemned by an international expert in submarine safety for placing public safety at risk.

HMS Torbay, one of the Royal Navy's oldest serving nuclear powered submarines, will visit Southampton Docks from Saturday 13 November until Tuesday 16 November on a public relations trip hosted by Southampton City Council.

But Consulting Engineer John Large, who recently completed an in-depth review of classified Ministry of Defence (MoD) documents relating to nuclear submarine safety at Southampton on behalf of local environmental Group Solent Coalition Against Nuclear Ships (SCANS), has identified a secret MoD safety assessment which states that risks posed by older 'Trafalgar' class submarines such as HMS Torbay could result in an emergency on a far greater scale than the Royal Navy has planned for.

Independent report highlights risks of nuclear powered submarine visits to Southampton

Emergency arrangements for an accident on board a nuclear powered submarine visiting Southampton have been slammed as inadequate and inconsistent by an independent nuclear expert.

A damning report highlighting a catalogue of contradictions, missing information, and under-assessment of the impacts of a nuclear emergency in the port has been prepared by consultants Large and Associates for local environmental group Solent Coalition Against Nuclear Ships (SCANS).

Emergency services could not cope with nuclear submarine accident

An independent nuclear expert has cast doubt about the ability of emergency services to cope with an accident involving a release of radiation from one of the Royal Navy's nuclear powered submarines when berthed in Southampton Docks.

John Large, who headed the team assessing nuclear and radiation hazards during the salvage of the sunken Russian submarine Kursk, told a public meeting organised by Southampton City Council that staff from the Fire and Rescue Service, Ambulance Service, and Police would be unable to deal with an emergency involving a nuclear submarine without breaching limits for doses of radiation to individual personnel.

“To the extend that their dose limitation system permits their attendance firefighters will remain in attendance but others, most probably the ambulance trust personnel, more than likely police officers, and most certainly City Council employees will all have to withdraw from the coutermeasures zone”, he said.

Navy plans to cut size of nuclear submarine protection zones

The Royal Navy is planning to cut the size of emergency protection zones surrounding berths for its nuclear submarines. Proposals to reduce the size of the counter measures zone surrounding the submarine berth at Southampton docks would see nearly 6000 households denied tablets which could help protect families from radiation in the event of an accident on board a visiting nuclear submarine.

Faslane Safety Failures

Two stories on the safety failings at the Faslane base.

Devastating admissions about one of Britain’s most significant nuclear sites are disclosed in MoD documents released under the Freedom of Information Act...

Safety failings are "a recurring theme" at the nuclear submarine base at Faslane. The transfer of three Trafalgar class submarines to Faslane is causing public alarm on the Clyde...

Hansard on Nuclear Submarines in Southampton, 12th Jan 2009

*Mr. Hancock:* To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer of 1 July 2008, /Official Report,/ column 754W, on nuclear submarines, on what date the number of operative submarine berths at Southampton was increased from one to two; and when such berths were redesignated from Z to operational submarine berths. [244580]

*Mr. Bob Ainsworth:* The number of berths, as determined by the Port Authority at Southampton, has always been two; but they are only cleared to support one submarine at any one time. With respect to when berths were re-designated from Z to Operational submarine berth, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 June 2008, /Official Report,/ column 849W.

Nuclear submarine to use Southampton Docks again

Date: FRIDAY 5^TH DECEMBER 2008

Time: Around 12 noon

Location: BERTH 38. DOCK GATE 4