Nuclear submarine HMS Anson recently docked in Gibraltar Harbour, drawing the ire of Verdemar-Ecologistas en Acción, a Spanish environmental organisation that has warned of potential risks to local populations and the Strait of Gibraltar’s marine environment.
Verdemar-Ecologistas en Acción has publicly denounced HMS Anson’s arrival, labelling such submarines as “floating bombs” and insisting that “we continue to maintain our protest against the arrival of these submarines that sail with a nuclear reactor and put the Strait of Gibraltar and those who live in this area at risk.”
The group contends that older nuclear reactors may be more vulnerable to disasters, citing “earthquakes, floods, extreme weather events or ageing and the management of the nuclear industry itself and accidents” as contributing factors.
They demand an end to visits by nuclear-powered submarines, calling for the “definitive withdrawal of these vessels” and rejecting the introduction of any new nuclear emergency plans, something, which of course isn’t going to happen.
Authorities maintain that these vessels adhere to strict safety protocols. Nonetheless, Verdemar-Ecologistas en Acción remains firm in its opposition, “We do not have nor do we want a nuclear emergency plan, but rather that they leave.”
Local officials in Gibraltar have not publicly addressed the group’s specific allegations, and there is no indication of any forthcoming change in UK policy regarding the docking of nuclear-powered vessels at the British Overseas Territory.
At the UK Defence Journal, we aim to deliver accurate and timely news on defence matters. We rely on the support of readers like you to maintain our independence and high-quality journalism. Please consider making a one-off donation to help us continue our work. Click here to donate. Thank you for your support!
The group contends that older nuclear reactors may be more vulnerable to disasters, citing “earthquakes, floods, extreme weather events or ageing and the management of the nuclear industry itself and accidents” as contributing factors……. given that Anson is only just entering service i.e. brand new that means the group are certified idiots!
Not to mention that floods or extreme weather don’t do squat to a submarine, and an earthquake in that region is extremely unlikely.
Plenty of earthquakes in that region, caused by the African continent pushing north.
Possibly Spanish nutcase pushing north and. South!!
Well said!
Do they even know that nuclear submarines have been docking in Gib since the 1960s that I know of and why only the British , why not also object to the enormous US aircraft carriers that frequently pass by , which hold more than just one reactor
Well, fancy the Spanish protesting about activity in Gibraltar! Really, whatever next?
They’ll be blaming climate change for the storms that sank the Amarda next…
They’ve got nothing better to do. They must also all be very wealthy as they don’t want our tourist trade, so they can go take a hike. Nobody cares!
Perhaps a group of British submariners should protest at the barbaric cruelty inflicted upon bulls for centuries in the name of entertainment?…
Bravo.
And chickens…you would not believe what they do to chickens..🐔🐥🐣
Do tell.
I.don’t want to know…
Eat them??
And hamsters
Well said WSM stop the blatant cruelty in the name of sport first then thank your lucky stars you’re protected by NATO.
I’m sure we have a few £ b laying around we can bung them to keep quiet🙄
Like building FSS?
What does Lord Hermer think?
Do the letters: “F O” mean anything to them?
Foreign Office ?
To the Spanish my your own business 🙄 . Hard to believe Spain is part of NATO at times . 🇬🇧
Agree. It really p1sses me off when country’s that have lived under the protection of Nuclear defences for 80 years but not paid anything for it . I despise Trump but agree with him wholeheartedly over the issue.
There is an X Berth on Gib I think?
An X Berth differs from a Z Berth in that maintenance may be carried out?
Andy, Deep, ABC will be able to confirm, Correct me?
Correct mate, X berth allow for maintenance and repairs, whilst Z berth are primarily for visits/short term stays to load stuff.
As I thought. Ta.
Do any USN Nuclear vessels visit Rota?
It are they only interested in Gibraltar British ones for political ends?
Not anymore, SUBRON 16 withdrew in the late 70s (I think) and relocated to Kings Bay. It coincided with a change of the US/Spanish treaty meaning no more nukes. Just the Destroyer Sqn, a Helo Sqn and an EOD section forward deployed now.
Pretty sure it is only Gib, Limassol, Souda and Toulon. I think Menzel may have taken nuke-boats also in the past. There may be more, but nothing jumps to mind.
Thanks NDG.
A spanish/us treaty doesn’t apply to Great Britain.
Go back 2? 3? years and a septic sub was intercepted entering Gibraltarian waters by a Spanish patrol vessel…
You’re right….
It was only a few years ago (2015) that the Spanish were allowing Russian warships and submarines to take on supplies and water at Ceuta – 18 miles from Gib – and crews were granted shore leave to enjoy the tax haven’s nightlife. This only stopped after NATO protested. Ceuta is often described as Spain’s Gibraltar and is just 18 miles across the water from the British Overseas Territory.
Good point.
The Spanish also have mellita on the morrocan coast as well
Mellila
Melilla
Zero emissions, unlike those old patrol boats the Spanish coastguard use to harass traffic going in and out of the port.
The only known reactor to explode was chernobyl, and although it was a devastating event it was hardly a nuclear explosion. Nuclear reactors don’t explode they meltdown. Also water is a great moderator, so I don’t know what they’re so worried about. Bearing in mind the astute class has the most advanced small modular reactors in the world.
Hmm, all those facts and logic, nope, doesn’t work for political activists who’d prefer a moral panic, fully disregarding the professional competence of the Senior Service demonstrated by decades of safe SSN operation.
Vastly safer than a leaky diesel powered ship with a cargo of chemicals and a bilge space full of invade species. Silly Spaniards.
It’s simply quite a good thing for mankind that the Brits actually control Gibraltar. The Med would be in a complete mess otherwise and what’s worse, nobody else would care until it would be too costly to reverse.
They never have problems with American submarines at Rota.
They have to deal with protesters at Rota quite regularly, judging by the base’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1001362698704842&set=a.465636442277473
Load the GPMG, prepare to open fire. Aim. Fire.
Problem resolved
That’s strange, they didn’t have a word to say when a US SSN was in Gibraltar a few weeks ago, I wonder what the difference is?
HMS Anson is a brand new boat , the nuclear reactor is brand new . Not one British nuclear sub reactor has failed . These muppets need a reality check
Do the Spanish complain when US Navy nuclear subs dock at the US/Spain Naval base at Rota…of course they don’t ! Double standards
We all know this is about the status of Gibraltar itself.
It ‘should be spanish’. They have a point, kinda, just not enough of one in the balance of things to matter.
They probably thought it worth a go, they might have 18bn thrown at them.
Given our surrender monkey prime minister’s perpencity for dishing out taxpayers money to give away British territory….. you can’t blame them
Lord Nelson and Drske soon put there ships and Navy to shame what’s this revenge time or what
These are just ecology protestors whose reaction to anything human is to object: farming, land reclamaton, pollution, urban planning, etc. That they call submarines nuclear bombs is no worse nor better than I’ve heard from other anti-nuclear protestors.
Probably put up to it by the Spanish Government.
The Spanish had no issues with submarines taking Nazi war criminals from their ports to South America
And to be fair, neither did the UK or US, or the Vatican.
Op Paperclip.
Porton Down gas, chemical tests.
Unit 731 scientists.
14 Waffen SS Division. Including Ukranians who’s actions in the holocaust we ignored as Mi6 needed them as agents in the USSR.
We look the other way when it suits when the reality of facing the Soviet Union happened.
Can we use English not American, they did not protest British sub they protested about a British sub…. That said, I am surprised Starmer the liar hasn’t already given Gibraltar away, probably to Russia as they haven’t owned it so it makes sense (given the Chagos islands are ‘being given back’ to a country that never in history owned them). Frankly it’s a British port and if we want to put a dozen nuclear powered vessels there it is our choice. This is exactly why we should keep the Chagos (whose people want us to), because we don’t know what… Read more »
I can see it all now… A band of idiot pensioners waving banners stating: “Just Stop Submarines”.
Happy to fund the superglue if they wanted to stick themselves to the hull.
Incidentally, there are seven Spanish nuclear power stations, with far greater potential for widespread devastation. Did anyone tell them that, before they chose to play the ‘nuclear’ card against a metal cylinder? 😆
Can you please send one every week