ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES OF DENIAL AND DELAY OF SHIPMENTS OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL

The refusal of carriers in accepting radioactive shipments for transport produces are detrimental and causes series of consequences to the end users. One of these consequences refers to economic issues in the extent that the costs are severely increased. Additionally it produces lost of time and may impose a negative perception to the image of companies and individuals involved on this activity. As part of the activities carried out by the Latin-American network on denials of shipment – the Montevideo Network - a methodology was developed to evaluate the economical impact of denials and delays on consignors, shippers and end users of radioisotopes. Four important relevant components are used to evaluate the economical impact: (i), labor cost; (ii) equipments, instrumentation and capital cost; (iii) material and services; and (iv) contingencies. By encompassing relevant steps like loading, preparation of shipping papers, dispatch, carriage, stowage and in-transit storage and return of empty packages the methodology may be useful to consignors, shippers, consignees as well as suppliers of radioisotopes in evaluating the final cost for a single of multiple shipments and its consequences. This paper presents and describes also a methodology to evaluate economical impact on denial and delay of shipments of radioactive material.