UK Nuclear Transport Solutions (NTS), part of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), has returned the third and final consignment of vitrified high-level waste (HLW) to Germany. This marks the completion of an international commitment between the UK and Germany, and a significant milestone in the UK’s nuclear clean-up mission.
The waste results from the reprocessing and recycling of spent nuclear fuel at the Sellafield site, in West Cumbria, which had previously been used to produce electricity by German utilities. Sellafield’s overseas fuel reprocessing programme came to an end in 2018. In line with UK Government policy and long-standing contractual commitments, the resulting waste is returned to its country of origin through the Vitrified Residue Returns (VRR) programme.
The first shipment of six flasks, to Biblis, was undertaken in 2020 and the second shipment of seven flasks, to Isar, was completed in 2025. The third and final shipment of seven flasks was to Brokdorf. The flasks were transported from the Sellafield site to the port of Barrow-in-Furness by rail. Three dedicated rail movements transported the material to the port on specially engineered wagons.
They were then loaded on to specialist nuclear transport vessel Pacific Grebe, operated by Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited (PNTL), NTS’s specialist shipping division, for transfer to a German port. Each flask, weighing more than 100 tonnes, was precisely lifted and loaded onto the vessel using the port’s specialist heavy-lift crane. From there they were transported by road in Germany to the Brokdorf federal storage facility.
The shipment was carried out in full compliance with all appropriate national and international regulations. This shipment represents the culmination of decades of UK expertise, investment and commitment to safely return HLW to its country of origin. The operation drew on fully integrated NTS and wider NDA group capabilities, combining rail, maritime, security, engineering and regulatory expertise to deliver the complex mission. It also required extensive intergovernmental coordination to maintain alignment across parties in the UK and Germany and significant efforts to secure all the relevant federal and national approvals.
At Sellafield, waste that is highly active is vitrified and converted into a stable glass form which is then enclosed in stainless steel canisters. The canisters are safely stored until required for return. Sellafield prepares each canister for shipment, loading them into specialist flasks and managing their movement through the site before handover for transport.
Since returns began in 2009, significant progress has been made. Approximately three quarters of the UK’s programme to return more than 1,800 vitrified waste canisters is now complete. Following the conclusion of returns to Germany, the programme will continue with future shipments over the coming years. NDA also holds contracts to return high level waste to Japan and Italy.
These returns involve NTS working in partnership with Sellafield Ltd, Orano-NCS and GNS in Germany. A collaboration of global nuclear experience ensuring the safe return of nuclear material to its country of origin.
“This is a significant moment in the delivery of our mission, it marks the completion of our obligation to repatriate this waste, reducing the UK’s long term nuclear liabilities and delivering on government policy commitments,” said NDA CEO David Peattie. “This has been a complex, multi-year effort, delivered through strong collaboration across the NDA group and is a testament to our world leading nuclear expertise and capabilities.”
Ben Whittard, NTS co-CEO, noted: “NTS has over 50 years of experience in these highly complicated moves and the end of the German VRR programme demonstrates how we’re achieving the NDA’s mission and ensuring nuclear material is safely transported across the globe for long-term storage.”
Euan Hutton, Sellafield Ltd CEO, said completion of the final high-level waste return to Germany represents a significant milestone for Sellafield and the wider NDA group. “As consignor, Sellafield has held responsibility for this material throughout the return programme, from vitrifying the waste into a stable glass form and safely storing it on site, through to preparing it for transport and working with our partners to ensure its successful delivery. This achievement is the culmination of decades of commitment from teams across our site, working closely with NTS, the NDA, our regulators and customers.”
