Protocol for handling contaminated maritime cargo returned to the country

Abstract

Responding to nuclear and radiological incidents is part of the responsibilities of the agency whose mission is nuclear and radiological safety; in the Brazilian case, the National Nuclear Energy Commission (CNEN), an autonomous structure of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), Brazil. In 2022, the Nuclear and Radiological Emergency Response System (SAER) was activated to respond to a finding in a maritime container. The cargo, returned from abroad from a transshipment port due to the detection of an internal radioactive source, arrived in the country at the Port of Suape, in Pernambuco. It was then analyzed by the CNEN technical team, following regulatory norms and protocols. After work to remove the containerized packed material — metal scrap — the radioactive source was located and identified during the operation carried out in Caruaru-PE, headquarters of the metal scrap holding company. Immediately, the source was collected by the Regional Center for Nuclear Sciences - Northeast (CRCN-NE), in compliance with the country's safety regulations. Qualified and well-trained teams resulted in reliability of the process.