Saying Farewell to ANSTO’s Spent Fuel: A Global Journey of Precision and Partnership

The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) is Australia’s largest nuclear organisation and a centre of nuclear excellence. ANSTO’s Lucas Heights campus, on the southern edge of Sydney, is home to Australia’s only nuclear reactor, OPAL, a 20 MW multipurpose reactor. It has been operating since 2006 to produce nuclear medicine, neutron beams for scientific research and doped silicon for the manufacture of semiconductor devices. OPAL fuel assemblies contain low enriched uranium (19.75% U-235).

ANSTO is responsible for the safe management of its spent fuel and coordinated with three valued WNTI members to ensure its safe and secure transport. The first of these is French company Orano, with whom ANSTO has an agreement in place for maritime transport and reprocessing services. Reprocessing in France involves the dissolution of the spent fuel, the extraction of unused nuclear material for recycling, and the immobilisation of residual waste in a highly stable, vitrified waste-form.

The next partner involved was another WNTI member: ANSTO partnered with Australian dangerous goods transportation specialist DG Air Freight, whose scope included the movement of transport packages in and out of the reactor building (for loading), the transport of the loaded packages to an Australian port, and work with port stakeholders for ship loading operations. ANSTO, Orano and DG Air Freight worked together to ensure all international agreements and regulatory approvals were in place well in advance of the operations, making use of DG Air Freight’s radioactive transport service.

Three TN-MTR transport packages (casks) were used for the transport of the spent fuel. The Orano designed TN-MTR cask is a Type B(U) package, which has been in service since 1999 for the transport of spent research reactor fuel. TN-MTRs are approximately 2 metres tall, 2 metres in diameter, and have a maximum gross mass of 23,400 kg. TN-MTR casks are transported within customised 20’ shipping containers.

According to French Law, the introduction of spent fuel to France for reprocessing must be governed by an agreement between the French and Australian Governments. This Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) was signed in 2017. It outlines the responsibilities and obligations of both countries, along with the schedule for the reprocessing of the spent fuel and the return of residual waste to Australia. The IGA also references an agreement between ANSTO and Orano for the transfer of ownership of the nuclear material recovered during reprocessing.

An extensive series of regulatory approvals were gained to allow cask loading, transportation and spent fuel reprocessing. ANSTO, Orano and DG Air Freight worked closely in the two years leading up to the transportation to ensure that all required Australian and French approvals were received in accordance with the project schedule. Key approvals included French and Australian regulatory approvals for use of TN-MTRs, security and safeguards approvals, approval to transport under Australian environmental protection laws, and French regulatory approval for the reprocessing of OPAL spent fuel assemblies.

The operation to load the three TN-MTR casks spanned several weeks. A highly skilled ANSTO loading team worked with Orano and DG Air Freight specialists to transfer the casks into the OPAL reactor building and, one at a time, lower them into the OPAL spent fuel storage pool for underwater loading. After each cask was loaded the shielded lid was installed and the cask was lifted from the pool to be prepared for transportation. Preparations included draining, drying, decontamination, leak testing and radiological inspections. Most operations were completed with the reactor at power with minimal disruption to the production of nuclear medicine, neutrons for science and doped silicon.

In September 2025 the three loaded casks were transported by DG Air Freight trucks from ANSTO to an Australian port. The transport operation was led by the NSW Police with support from the Australian Federal Police. The transportation was performed at night to minimise disruption to road users. The success of the operation was thanks to careful planning and coordination among experts from the police forces, ANSTO, Orano, DG Air Freight and various government agencies and regulators.

At the port, the casks were loaded into a specialist vessel, the Pacific Grebe, belonging to the third WNTI member involved in the operation: Nuclear Transport Solutions (NTS). A special thanks is also worth giving to the port authorities and stevedores for their exceptional support. The Pacific Grebe, operated by Pacific Nuclear Transport Ltd (PNTL), is an INF 3 certified vessel under the INF Code of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). The INF Code sets out mandatory safety requirements for vessels transporting nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. Pacific Grebe, and NTS’ other vessels Pacific Heron and Pacific Egret, are some of the only vessels across the globe with the capability to transport a range of nuclear material. NTS has provided world-leading nuclear shipping services since the 1970s and was selected as a highly skilled and reliable partner for the maritime transportation to France.

NTS has cemented its position as a leader in the maritime transport of nuclear materials, with over 50 years’ experience safely shipping nuclear materials around the world to support the nuclear fuel cycle, research, medicine and industry. Operating a fleet of specialist vessels, NTS has covered millions of miles shipping nuclear materials to and from countries across the globe, with its crews being some of the most experienced in the world.

Shipping nuclear cargo safely and securely requires extensive experience and modern insight into current operational standards. NTS uses its specialist services associated with the maritime transport of nuclear material, including safety, security, logistical services, and comprehensive 24-hour global emergency response support. To ensure resilience, all nuclear transports undertaken by NTS are supported every hour of the day with a team of highly qualified emergency response managers who are ready to draw on global resources to react effectively to any situation, anywhere in the world at a moment’s notice.

In October 2025 the Pacific Grebe arrived at Cherbourg port, for the final stage of the spent fuel transport to the Orano La Hague reprocessing facility. All operations, from the unloading of the casks from the vessel to the road delivery to the La Hague reprocessing facility, were led by Orano.

The preparations for unloading operations have made it possible to carry out the transhipment, regulatory control and truck loading operations in a safe manner, and in accordance with the requirements of French authorities and the ADR code. The final stage of the overall transfer was completed by LMC (LEMARECHAL CELESTIN), whose specialised trucks and highly qualified drivers ensured the safe and secure delivery of the casks to Orano La Hague.