NRC Operations Center was notified by the Vice President for Operations at Edlow International of a marine incident at Dundalk Marine Terminal in Baltimore,
MD. While offloading a flat rack containing UX30 protective overpacks with type 30B cylinders containing
uranium hexafluoride from the MV Atlantic Conveyor, the rigging gear failed and the rack dropped onto the pier on top of another flat rack containing UX30 type 30B cylinders. There is no indication of a leak or release at this time. There were no injuries. Surveyor is at the scene.
- * * UPDATE FROM FRANCHONE OSHINOWO TO JOE O'HARA AT 1640 EST ON 03/05/09 * * *
Edlow confirms no material spill or damage to the packages. Damage was confined to the flat rack itself. Contrary to what was reported earlier, the mishap occurred onboard the vessel and NOT on the pier. Preliminary indications are that the spreader used to lift the flat rack was not engaged on all four lifting points prior to the lift commencing.
Notified R1DO (Hansell), R2DO(D. Rich), NMSS EO(M. Tschiltz), and FSME EO (McConnell).
- * * UPDATE FROM FRANCHONE OSHINOWO TO PETE SNYDER AT 1055 EST ON 03/06/09 * * *
Upon inspection of the shipping containers on land, Edlow personnel have verified that only cosmetic damage was caused to one flat rack by the mishap. The highest radiation readings on contact with the containers were 0.5 millirem/hour which were within expected levels.
Notified R1DO (Hansell), R2DO (Rich), NMSS EO (Tschiltz), and FSME EO (McIntosh).
- * * UPDATE FROM FRANCHIONE OSHINOWO TO PETE SNYDER AT 1139 EDT ON 03/09/09 * * *
Edlow stated that the information put into the last update above was incorrect. The previous update should have read that there was only cosmetic damage to one overpack however one flatrack was rendered unusable.
Notified R1DO (Dimitriadis), R2DO (Rich),
NMSS EO (Tshiltz), and
FSME EO (McIntosh).