TRANSPORTATION | DENIAL OF SHIPMENT
Above: Requirements apply to the safe and secure storage of radioactive material when being transported and when transiting ports and airports Source: Niklas9416
and other stakeholders when discussing the use and
transport of radioactive materials. Coupled with a lack of awareness and understanding of both the benefits and the strict regulations that are in place when transporting radioactive materials, many individuals develop an exaggerated and unjustified level of fear. Even when a government does not explicitly legislate
against shipments of radioactive material, there may be a lack of political commitment to ensure that the necessary measures are in place to facilitate these transports. This would include the provision of a suitable regulatory framework for such shipments. Often governments add additional requirements over and above the IAEA regulations which increase complexity and result in unnecessary extra cost in compliance.
Understanding the DoS challenge When radioactive material is prevented from using a particular transport route due to an explicit or implicit refusal to carry a shipment of radioactive material (also referred to as Class 7 dangerous goods), even though it conforms to all the applicable regulations, we refer to this as either a Delay or Denial of Shipment. According to the IAEA Denial of Shipment Working Group, these are defined
as: ● Delay, when an intentional delay adds journey time, which reduces the effectiveness of the material or renders the material unusable when delivered. A typical example could be radiopharmaceuticals, which have a very short half-life and achieving the scheduled delivery programme is essential, being slowed solely because they are Class 7 material
● Denial, when a consignment is not accepted at a point during the journey, even though the consignment complies with all regulatory requirements, including documentation. An example of this type of denial could be a pilot or ship captain refusing to take a consignment of Class 7 material on board
● Denial, when there is a policy decision not to accept Class 7 by one of the parties involved in a route, rendering the route unavailable. An example of this type of denial could be an airline carrier, airport authority, sea vessel carrier or seaport authorities deciding not to accept any Class 7 materials while accepting other dangerous goods
Above: Radiiopharmaceuticals often require timely transport Source: Vonghalen 24 | January 2025 |
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The IAEA Denial of Shipment Working Group (IAEA DoS WG) has been established for a four-year period (2023-2026) with the objective to consider the options for addressing denials of and delays in shipment of radioactive materials. This Working Group also builds on the outcomes from previous, similar, IAEA initiatives. The group is evaluating
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