Dunkirk port blockade: Greenpeace halts Russian uranium cargo

Greenpeace activists blocked a uranium cargo vessel at the Port of Dunkirk on March 2, protesting France’s ongoing nuclear trade ties with Russia. French police detained four demonstrators after a four-hour standoff, and port operations later resumed. The incident was first reported by The Maritime Telegraph .

 

Around 20 members of Greenpeace France used kayaks and inflatable boats to obstruct the Panama-flagged general cargo ship Mikhail Dudin, while others chained themselves to the lock gate to prevent entry.

 

The 3,000 DWTvessel, built in 1996 and measuring 89.5 meters in length, had arrived from Saint Petersburg. Activists allege it was carrying enriched or natural uranium destined for French energy company EDF and its subsidiaries.

 

Greenpeace timed the action ahead of the World Nuclear Summit scheduled for March 10 in Paris. The group calls on France to stop importing Russian uranium and to terminate contracts with Rosatom. Greenpeace claims this trade indirectly supports Russia’s war effort in Ukraine and argues that France is blocking EU-level sanctions targeting Rosatom.

 

Data from French news agency reports, cited by activists, indicate that France imported at least 112 tonnes of enriched uranium and related compounds from Russia in recent years. That volume represents roughly one quarter of France’s total uranium imports by volume. Although imports declined between 2022 and 2024, they have reportedly stabilized over the past two years.

 

Police eventually removed the protesters and restored full access to the port. The vessel was then permitted to dock.

 

Picture: AFP