SEVEN SNF AIR SHIPMENTS IN TYPE B PACKAGES – SUMMARY AND LESSONS LEARNED

Four highly enriched uranium (HEU) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) air shipments from Romania, Libya and Uzbekistan were realized in the framework of the Russian Research Reactor Fuel Return (RRRFR) Program and three additional low enriched uranium (LEU) SNF air shipments from Romania were realized under the Russian-Romanian governmental agreement. Each project had its technical, geographical, political, licensing and implementation peculiarities. Each time all the difficulties were solved in time and the type B package SNF air shipment proved to be the most efficient solution. This paper realizes an analysis of all seven research reactor (RR) SNF air shipments performed in type B packages, pointing out the technical differences and similarities between them, the obstacles and benefits met, and lessons learned from the implementation of such projects, from the point of view of the shipment coordinating organization and the air carrier.