Volume 7, Number 3
April 2010

On PATRAM and JNMM:
From the Packaging & Transportation Division

PATRAM
PATRAM 2010, the 16th International Symposium on the Packaging and Transportation of Radioactive Materials, is scheduled for Oct. 3-8, 2010. PATRAM takes place every three years alternately in the United States and a non-U.S. location. This year the location is London. As always, PATRAM is an exciting time for professionals around the world involved in radioactive material packaging and transportation.

PATRAM brings together worldwide experts from government, industry and research organizations to exchange information on all aspects of packaging and transportation of radioactive materials. It is the premier forum on these issues and the only meeting in the world devoted entirely to this subject.

The PATRAM 2010 Paper Selection Committee met March 16-17, 2010, in London to review and organize more than 400 abstracts. The number of abstracts is the highest ever for PATRAM. The overall quality of the abstracts promises to make for an outstanding PATRAM 2010 program.

PATRAM is hosted by the Department for Transport of the United Kingdom, in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the World Nuclear Transport Institute. PATRAM 2010 will be held in the IMO Headquarters Building on Albert Embankment. For more information, visit www.patram2010.org.

JNMM Special Issues
In other news, the winter and spring 2010 issues of the Journal of Nuclear Materials Management (JNMM) are dedicated predominately to packaging and transportation topics. These consecutive JNMM issues include 20 articles in the theme of “Supporting Safe Storage of Plutonium-bearing Materials through Science, Engineering, and Surveillance.” The winter 2010 issue is out and is clearly an excellent resource for those of this interest. The spring issue will be mailed to members and subscribers soon.

Also note that major regulatory changes occurred within the radioactive material packaging and transportation industry during 2008. On Oct.1, 2008, the widely used DOT Specification Packagings were removed, by law, from service. Along with elimination of, and new restrictions placed on other packages designed to older standards, these changes have added significant challenges to the shipment of radioactive materials.

These regulatory changes come at a time when new nuclear missions in industry and government are evolving that will depend upon safe, secure and efficient shipment of these materials. The objective of the INMM Packaging and Transportation Division is to be the international forum for meeting these evolving worldwide needs and welcomes your involvement toward these ends.