IAEA Denial of Shipment Working Group

The IAEA 67th General Conference was held from 25-29th September 2023.  During this conference, the IAEA Director General, Rafal Mariano Grossi, spoke of the role of the IAEA on addressing the important issue of denial and delay of radioactive shipments and highlighted the establishment of the IAEA Denial of Shipment (DoS) Working Group.  A side event, ‘Enhancing Access to the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear: Addressing Delays in and Denials of Shipments’ was held during the conference.  During this side event, the Chair of the DoS Working Group, Paulo Alvano, updated on the progress of the group’s activities including the development of a communications strategy and initiatives to gather further information about DoS from National Focal Points, Competent Authorities and involved industry.  The next Working Group meetings were announced as 15-19 April 2024 and 2-6 December 2024.

The iia has pledged financial support to IAEA to help fund a consultant to coordinate the work of the DoS Working Group.  It is understood that the IAEA is in the process of contracting with the consultant for an initial period that is anticipated to be extended to two years.

The work of the DoS Working Group was recently highlighted in the article ‘Navigating the Challenges of Nuclear Transport in Canada: The Issue of Delay and Denial of Shipments‘ sponsored by WNTI and published in Mediaplanet.