Report on IAEA Technical Meeting on Denial of Shipment – Issues and Solutions

The IAEA held a virtual Technical Meeting ‘Denial of Shipment- Issues and Solutions’ on 23-26 March 2021.  The Transport Facilitation Working Group (TFWG), of which iia is a member, had been coordinating its approach to this meeting and several members submitted presentations and papers to the meeting.

A copy of the Chairman’s meeting report is attached (see below).  The report recommends the creation of an IAEA Working Group on denials which was one of TFWG’s objectives for the meeting. One of the options that this Working Group will consider is a Code of Conduct that facilitates the safe transport of radioactive material.

TFWG is also in discussion with IAEA about a training course on how to be an effective National Focal Point (NFP).  The role of NFP is to ensure that causes of denial and delay to shipments of radioactive material are addressed and successfully resolved.  The iia contributed to this video that calls for the re-establishment of National Focal Points (NFPs) within all IAEA member states.

Issues of denial and delay of shipments have most recently impacted the nuclear medicine industry that uses airfreight to transport short lived isotopes.  The Cobalt-60 supply chain relies on international transport, particularly sea and road freight, due to a small number of manufacturers supplying to a large number of users globally.  Whilst the Cobalt-60 industry manages its international transport arrangements extremely well, an effective network of NFPs will result in increased shipping options and greater flexibility for our industry.

Tecnical Meeting EVT1907111 Denial of Shipment – Chairman’s report