Nuclear catastrophe in Japan

· Statement of 13 April 2011 by the Federal Association of German Industry (BDI) on deliveries from Japan (extracts)


Measures by the Federal Government

“… Goods that arrive in Germany by direct route from Japan are checked for radiation on a sample basis upon import. A near-enough complete control is already carried out at the airports. The customs officers are in possession of the necessary measuring equipment to ensure adherence to the ban on proliferation in compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. …”1

Transport and Logistics

“According to latest findings, it can be assumed that no contamination is to be expected on the outside of aircraft and containers as the outer transport conditions (air speed and exposure to seawater) should reduce any adherence drastically. Furthermore, it can be assumed that non-contaminated products will not be contaminated during transport either as a result of being sealed tight in aircraft or containers (in this case possibly with restrictions regarding leak tightness).

Suitable own steps are taken locally by logistics companies. For example, Lufthansa Cargo AG tests all freight consignments in Japan for radioactivity. At the German airports in Frankfurt and Munich, for example, Lufthansa Cargo has all incoming flights from Japan tested for radioactivity.

The Dutch authorities and companies are in the course of preparing a mutual procedure for the port of Rotterdam. Large-scale detectors have already been used for years for checking most containers automatically for radioactivity. The same applies for the port of Antwerp (System Megaports). In view of current events, the plan is for ships from Japan to be checked with particular intensity. At the Hamburg port, the pre-registration deadlines for ships coming from Japan has been extended from one to two days, and the shipping lines are required to state at which ports they were checked beforehand. The tests for radioactivity in Hamburg are carried out on a sample basis using hand-held instruments and automatic systems. In addition to this, there are the prior controls in Rotterdam and Antwerp.”2

In order to confirm the details from the BDI, you will find attached the “Notice of Environmental Radioactivity Level” of the Saitama Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Japan. This certificate confirms that according to official measurements there is no danger of radioactivity from the products of J. Morita Tokyo Mfg. Corp.

1,2 Holtmann, Thomas (2011): BDI-Konzept zum Umgang der deutschen Industrie mit Lieferungen aus Japan (“BDI Concept for Handling Deliveries from Japan by German Industry”) of April 13, 2011;

URL: http://www.bdi.eu/download_content/KlimaUndUmwelt/deutsch.pdf

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