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Kenya secures ship suspected to be carrying radioactive substances
Saturday, December 18, 2021
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe. He has ordered the quarantining of a cargo ship in Mombasa. Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Kenya Nuclear Regulatory Authority (KNRA) has secured a cargo ship in Mombasa that is suspected to be carrying radioactive substances.
KNRA Director General Joseph Maina said his authority is verifying the container on board MV Seago Piraeus voy which is docked at the port of Mombasa.
“We are in the process of getting the samples to determine the substance after suspicion of some radioactive materials. We have taken all measures as we work with other multi-agency teams to do tests whose results will be made public,” said Mr Maina.
In a statement, Mr Kagwe said the ship poses a “serious threat to the health and lives of Kenyans by the emission of radiation”.
Public Health Act
He also ordered the director-general for health and the port health officer in Mombasa to inspect any part and any load in the ship and medically examine all the people aboard the ship.
Kenya said it will compel all those on board to answer any question asked as per sections 60 and 62 of the Public Health Act.
On December 15, 2021, a multi-agency team consisting of officials from Kenya Ports Authority, Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA), Kenya Coast Guard Services and Port officials, immigration, Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) and those from KNRA met to address the issue.
Kenya is a signatory of the Indian Ocean Memorandum of Understanding (IOMOU) and it has an international obligation to prevent, intercept, interdict and combat illicit trafficking of radioactive and nuclear material and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, having ratified international instruments.
KMA Director General Robert Njue said the matter is a public health concern and is now being handled by KNRA.
“KMA was informed of the container with radioactive materials on 15th December, from a vessel at berth 21, the KPA called for a joint boarding of the vessel by a multi-agency team with the aim of getting information about the container. The team met with the vessel captain and senior officers where they were briefed about the container,” said Mr Njue.
Dangerous goods
The DG said the container was reported to have been loaded in Mumbai, India, being a transshipment to Tanzania, the container was undeclared as dangerous goods, the container was declared as dry cargo.
According to the KMA, the vessel had been inspected in July, 2021 under the IOMOU and found with NIL deficiencies.
“The vessel was found with a document of compliance for the carriage of dangerous goods. The team therefore tasked KNRA to take up the issue of the container with radioactive materials which was already discharged from the vessel and was secured in the yard at berth no. 21,” said Mr Njue.
The ship is said to have sailed under a Denmark flag and that in the past one month it has been to Kenya, Oman, India and Pakistan. At the time of the site’s last tracking of the ship on December 2, the ship was in Mundra, India.
akitimo@ke.nationmedia.com
Kenya secures ship suspected to be carrying radioactive substances
Saturday, December 18, 2021
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe
Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe. He has ordered the quarantining of a cargo ship in Mombasa. Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Kenya Nuclear Regulatory Authority (KNRA) has secured a cargo ship in Mombasa that is suspected to be carrying radioactive substances.
KNRA Director General Joseph Maina said his authority is verifying the container on board MV Seago Piraeus voy which is docked at the port of Mombasa.
“We are in the process of getting the samples to determine the substance after suspicion of some radioactive materials. We have taken all measures as we work with other multi-agency teams to do tests whose results will be made public,” said Mr Maina.
In a statement, Mr Kagwe said the ship poses a “serious threat to the health and lives of Kenyans by the emission of radiation”.
Public Health Act
He also ordered the director-general for health and the port health officer in Mombasa to inspect any part and any load in the ship and medically examine all the people aboard the ship.
Kenya said it will compel all those on board to answer any question asked as per sections 60 and 62 of the Public Health Act.
On December 15, 2021, a multi-agency team consisting of officials from Kenya Ports Authority, Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA), Kenya Coast Guard Services and Port officials, immigration, Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) and those from KNRA met to address the issue.
Kenya is a signatory of the Indian Ocean Memorandum of Understanding (IOMOU) and it has an international obligation to prevent, intercept, interdict and combat illicit trafficking of radioactive and nuclear material and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, having ratified international instruments.
KMA Director General Robert Njue said the matter is a public health concern and is now being handled by KNRA.
“KMA was informed of the container with radioactive materials on 15th December, from a vessel at berth 21, the KPA called for a joint boarding of the vessel by a multi-agency team with the aim of getting information about the container. The team met with the vessel captain and senior officers where they were briefed about the container,” said Mr Njue.
Dangerous goods
The DG said the container was reported to have been loaded in Mumbai, India, being a transshipment to Tanzania, the container was undeclared as dangerous goods, the container was declared as dry cargo.
According to the KMA, the vessel had been inspected in July, 2021 under the IOMOU and found with NIL deficiencies.
“The vessel was found with a document of compliance for the carriage of dangerous goods. The team therefore tasked KNRA to take up the issue of the container with radioactive materials which was already discharged from the vessel and was secured in the yard at berth no. 21,” said Mr Njue.
The ship is said to have sailed under a Denmark flag and that in the past one month it has been to Kenya, Oman, India and Pakistan. At the time of the site’s last tracking of the ship on December 2, the ship was in Mundra, India.
akitimo@ke.nationmedia.com
