Japan Radiation Threat Causes Cargo Screening and altered Operations

Everyone is watching and reading the News about the terrible after effects of the earthquake and Tsunami that hit Northern Japan and the subsequent explosive impact on several Japanese nuclear power reactors.  

As the Japanese struggle with the health and safety of their own people,  foreign governments including the United States are carefully watching cargoes and people transiting or originating from Japan.   So far, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) department issued the following statement on March 16th, 2011. 

"U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is monitoring developments in Japan carefully and is specifically assessing the potential for radiological contamination associated with the ongoing impact of the earthquake and tsunami to Japan's nuclear facilities. Out of an abundance of caution, CBP has issued field guidance reiterating its operational protocols and directing field personnel to specifically monitor maritime and air traffic from Japan. 

No aircraft entering the United States today tested positive for radiation at harmful levels.

To address radiological and nuclear risks, CBP employs several types of radiation detection equipment in its operations at both air and sea ports, and uses this equipment, along with specific operational protocols, to resolve any security or safety risks that are identified with inbound travelers and cargo.  In the air environment, CBP frontline personnel are equipped with Personal Radiation Detectors (PRDs) that can detect the presence of radiological materials, and all airports have more sensitive Radiation Isotope Identification Devices (RIIDs) to determine both the presence and type of radiation encountered. Travelers who manifest signs of radiation sickness are referred to health authorities and provided appropriate treatment.

At seaports, and in its international mail and express consignment facilities, CBP continues to use sensitive, large-scale Radiation Portal Monitors (RPM) and scans all maritime cargo and express consignment and mail arriving from Japan. CBP maintains similar protocols for identifying and resolving radiation alarms in these operations and will deny entry to contaminated cargo and mail. 

CBP will continue to evaluate the potential risks posed by radiation contamination on inbound travelers and cargo and will adjust its detection and response protocols, in coordination with its interagency partners, as developments warrant."

While the US government has discouraged citizens from visiting Japan, so far no passengers or luggage have shown signs of radioactive contamination.   Airlines are taking a wait and see attitude toward servicing Japanese airports.  Delta Airlines as an example is still servicing Narita airport but at present has ceased flights to Haneda.    Lufthansa however has not resumed flights to Narita so far.   Express carriers are continuing to serve Japan at varying levels with FedEx, DHL and UPS all making service announcements on their web sites.

Major container terminals are presently working at normal capacity, however port closures over the past weekend have caused congestion and backlogs.  It remains to be seen if the ports are impacted as days go on by lack of diesel fuel and gasoline, as well as inability of workers to get to work due to power and public transport disruptions.  Services to Sendai, Hachinohe, and Onahama have been suspended by some carriers including Maersk.   NYK Line, a leading Japanese flag carrier meanwhile has offered its services to the Japanese government not only in moving relief supplies, but in providing service vessels to serve as offshore staging platforms for helicopters and relief supplies. 

Comments

[Arron]

Impressive blog!
-Arron

[Moses Muriuki]

Kenya has already started screening vehicles from japan for radiation

[Jannelle C Taylor]

I really find it sad that shippers are avoiding Japan. It will definitely cause delays in Japan's recovery.