Timely detection prevents disaster:

Hazardous radioactive container rejected at Colombo harbour

by Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana

Handling radioactive material knowingly or unknowingly could cause serious consequences and a milder exposure could lead to a cancer. A deeper exposure could eventually cause severe organ damage or ultimately death. Sri Lanka had a near miss when a container full of radioactive material arrived at the Colombo Port recently that could have caused a disaster if not for the mindful handling of the Customs officials.

A 40-foot container carrying used machinery and vehicle spare parts arrived at the Colombo Harbour on December 11 on a vessel named Dalian Express. The consignment addressed to a businessman in Yakkala had been loaded on to the container carrier from the Port of Yokohama in Japan. Following the regular procedure the Customs who were in charge of the container sent it through Radiation Detection Portals or a set of high-tech instruments fixed at the port called Megaport. Megaport is a program initiated to deter illicit trafficking in nuclear and radioactive material in ports.

Once the vehicle carrying the container went through the Megaport the Radiation Detection Portals started to sound the warning alarm to indicate that the container carries unknown substances emitting radiation. The Customs officials including the container handling staff were cautioned by this indication and alerted the relevant authorities immediately to prepare for further tests. Depending on the alarms that went on the officials decided that it was a substance with a high threat.

The container was then run through a scanner and was retested which the laboratory tests revealed that the radioactive chemical Caesium 134 and 137 was emitting from the container which is a hazardous chemical to the beings.

Along with the release of the laboratory reports the Customs official took immediate measures to isolate the container. The Customs were careful to keep it a secret until measures were taken to re-export the container.

Customs Spokesman Director Leslie Gamini said once they realised that the container carries radioactive material the consignee was informed about it. In the Cusdec (Customs Declaration Form) it stated used machinery and vehicle spare parts. However the trader had told the Customs that the container carried a second hand Gully Bowser.

At the same time the Customs informed the Atomic Energy Authority about the container which is the competent authority in the country that has proper facilities to check for material that emits radiation.

A group of specialists from the Atomic Energy Authority lead by its Senior Deputy Director Anil Ranjith visited the scene with all the relevant instruments that is required for an examination.

After conducting a thorough check up the scientists announced that the container is thoroughly contaminated with radiation and never to be opened on Sri Lankan soils which would cause a disaster if so.

Senior Deputy Director Anil Ranjith said that the ultra sensitive hand held radiation detection instruments had showed high levels of radiation of Caesium 134 and 137 emits especially from the Gully Bowser. The port of Yokohama is situated close to Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant that received major damages in March, 2011 after it was hit by a 9.0 earthquake and tsunami. The incident permanently damaged several reactors making them impossible to restart.

The disaster disabled the reactor cooling systems, leading to releases of radioactivity and triggering a 30km evacuation zone surrounding the plant. In April, 2011 the Japanese authorities declared the 20km evacuation zone and a restricted area which may only be entered under government supervision.

Radioactive chemicals such as Caesium 134 and 137 and Iodine 131 were mainly released to the atmosphere in the accident. Caesium is considered as a water soluble chemical which is believed to have entered into the environment through waste water. It is therefore decided that the second hand gully bowser that had been used for carrying of waste water might have been contaminated with Caesium 134 and 137.Normally when vehicles and other machinery are shipped from Japan they are subjected to a thorough radiation check up before exporting. Although all the new vehicles being exported from Japan were subjected to this test the local officials believed that this particular container or its material were not tested as they were used goods.With the explicit instructions of the AEA officials the container was never opened for inspection at the harbour but measures were taken to re-export it as soon as possible.

The container that weighed 13, 216 kilograms was re-exported on December 27 to Japan.According to Director Gamini the contaminated container was detected with the assistance of the Megaport facility. The facility was started about three years ago and is an immense assistance to the day to day cargo handling operations. The aim of the Megaport program is to deploy radiation detecting systems at the world's most important sea ports as part of global effort to interdict illicit movements of nuclear materials without impending commerce or reducing the competitiveness of participating ports and nation.

A key element of radiation detection system will be the skill, knowledge and dedication of those who operate the equipment and implement the screening and inspection procedures.

Colombo Port is the only harbour in the country that has the facility of Radiation Detection Portals. It has 17 Radiation Detection Portals or Radiation Portal Monitors in all three main terminals of South Asian Gateway Terminals (SAGT), Jaya Container Terminal (JCT) and newly extended Colombo International Container Terminals (CICT) of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority.

The team of Customs officials who conducted the recovery of the radiation contaminated container was led by Deputy Directors of Customs Jada Perera and Nihal Gunawardena, Superintendents of Customs D D Premasiri, Customs Officers Prabath Daya Fernando, Maduka Hapuarachchi, Achala Jayawardena, I P Ratnayake and S. Lakshal under the instructions and supervision of Director of Customs Legal Affairs Leslie Gamini and Director General of Customs Jagath P Wijeweera.