最近有一则关于几个集装箱在美国的卸货港由于辐射超标而被扣留的案子。原因可能是集装箱中所装的产自中国和印度的卫浴产品中含有钴-60的金属废料。具体关于这则案子以及若美国海关要求将集装箱遣返回生产国时应如何处理，请参考英国保赔协会发布的第819号通函。
集装箱辐射引起的后果可能会很严重。这种辐射可能会传播到附近的集装箱及箱中的货物，甚至可能使船舶和船员也都受到辐射，尽管后者的案例十分罕见。
假设一个集装箱因为其中的货物而受到辐射，相关的责任将会被归于托运人；但此集装箱在港口并没有被检查出有辐射。船东方在这一次可能是幸运的，避免了像最近的那则案例中可能的船期和相关费用的损失（但此种损失是因为托运人的错误而产生的也因此可由托运人来承担）。但更大的问题是此集装箱留在市场并继续流转，涉及的货物、船舶和船员将会遭受辐射的高风险。此外，若这个集装箱最终在那些进出口检查严格的国家被检测出辐射超标，比如欧洲和美国，船东或承运人这一次会有很大的困难来找出导致辐射的源头。当然这个集装箱可能并非由船方所有，而是由船方或货方所租赁，但是船东可能会成为直接面对根据当地法规所要求的处理辐射费用和罚款费用的那一方。
因此，更好的做法是要求出具完整的货物检验证书和集装箱检验证书，以防后续可能存在的问题和风险。日本海啸和其导致的福岛核电站的毁坏刚刚过去了一年，若货物来自日本或者集装箱曾在日本装卸，建议您保持谨慎的态度。我司需要提醒您，核辐射的风险在保赔保险中是除外风险而不被承保，尽管也有保赔协会在自由裁量下同意接受的特例。
以上由 ANDREW LIU & CO.,LTD 编译，应以英文为准！
详细信息请参阅附件。
Container Radiation Risk
There reported a case that several containers were placed on hold at the discharging port of USA due to unacceptable level of radiation. The causation was probably scrap metal containing Cobalt-60 incorporated into the bath products originated in China and India. For the details of the case and what to do if US Customs orders the container to be returned to origin, please refer to the Bulletin 819 from UK P&I Club.
The possible consequences of container radiation could be very serious. It may spread to other containers nearby and the cargo inside, and even to the vessel and crew members, though the latter cases are very rare.
Assume one container is exposed to radiation due to the cargo inside, the responsibility of which would be attributed to the shippers; however the container is not inspected of any radiation in the port. The shipowner may be fortunate at once to avoid possible loss of time and cost such as in the above recent case (though such loss might be covered by the shipper since it is shipper’s fault). The big problem is that if this container remains in the market and continue to travel around the world, the cargo and vessel and crew member involved could be at high risk of radiation. Moreover, if this container is finally inspected of unacceptable radiation in some countries strict in import and export inspection, such as Europe and USA, the shipowner or carrier at this time would be in big trouble to chase down the original cause. The container might not be owned by the ship side but leased by the ship side or cargo side, but the shipowner could be the most direct one to face the cost to deal with radiation and fines according to local regulations.
Therefore, it may be better to request full inspection certificate of cargo and containers when in case there might follow up potential problems and risks. As the Japanese tsunami and the resultant damage to the Fukushima nuclear power station has just passed one year, if the cargo are from Japan, or the containers have been loaded or discharged in Japan, you are recommended to remain in cautious mode. We have to remind you that the risk of nuclear radiation is excluded in P&I insurance, despite that there are exceptions when the Clubs agrees to accept at their discretion.
See attached file : ALCO20120033Container Radiation Risk.pdf ;Bulletin 819.pdf
