Year
2010
File Attachment
Abstract
This paper will examine in detail shipping documents that are required to be completed for an international maritime shipment of radioactive material. The paper will provide a summary of the required fields within the documentation, and it will further explain why these are required by the competent authority; shipping company; freight forwarder; port authority; customs, and others. This summary will provide an understanding to those not familiar with shipping documents. The study also will highlight where duplication of information appears in the documentation, and any lack of harmonisation in presentation where the same information is required between different organisations, authorities and countries. It will highlight the difference in time for preparation of the documents for a Class 7 radioactive cargo compared with other cargoes. The study will compare the typical documentation required for a successful unhindered international maritime transport of Class 7 radioactive materials with those required for other dangerous goods, and non-dangerous goods. Importantly, the study will suggest where harmonisation between the shipping documents could be made, and recommend reductions of the documentation burden.