Preparations by French nuclear group Areva for the biggest plutonium transport in history are on-going.

Here’s the latest news.

• An open letter to IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei has been sent from Greenpeace International (The Netherlands), Citizens Nuclear Information Center (Japan) and Green Action (Japan) urgently warning that the French state nuclear company, Areva, is actively denying the proliferation risks posed by reactor-grade plutonium contained in Mixed Oxide Fuel. A copy of the letter can be seen here.

• It will take two nights to transport the plutonium containers as there is a shortage of trucks capable carrying such a heavy payload.

• The first series of transports will be on the night of March 3rd /4th. They will then be guarded during the day on the dockside. The second batch should arrive on the night of March 4th /5th.

• It’s expected that one of the transport ships will arrive in dock on Thursday. It will take an estimate 14 hours to load from departing late Thursday night or early Friday morning.

• The sea-route of the shipment will not be issued by Areva or the Japanese utilities until 24 hours after the ship’s departure.

We’ll bring more news as we get it.