Lessons Learned from a transport security exercise conducted off the coast of Sweden

In May 2015, a full-scale exercise on security while transporting spent nuclear fuel was conducted off the coast of Sweden when Sweden’s national nuclear transport system was put to test. Named “Pilot 2015”, the exercise was part of a joint project with the IAEA to test and evaluate a new IAEA guide on planning, conducting and evaluating transport security exercises, but the field test also gave a perfect opportunity for the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority, SSM, the coast guard, the police counterterrorist unit and the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company, SKB, to practice together in a realistic situation.Sweden’s nuclear transport security system is designed on the basis of national regulations and IAEA nuclear transport security guidelines and preparatory exercises. Training is an important part of a successful system and this full-scale exercise with both a tabletop exercise and a field exercise under realistic conditions has served as a most valuable source for further development of the security.For SKB, “Pilot 2015”, involving the company owned INF-3 vessel, purpose built for transporting nuclear fuel, and the company’s emergency response centre, has provided a considerable amount of input to the company’s work with continuous improvements. The “Pilot 2015” has contributed to both administrative and technical improvements of various kinds.This paper outlines lessons learned from a ship owner and operators perspective.