The first container vessel that sailed from Japan to the Netherlands after the nuclear accident in Fukushima called at the port of Rotterdam yesterday morning, Cargonews Asia reports.
The vessel, the Carsten Maersk, was already checked in Felixstowe by British and Dutch authorities. The radiation level was normal, a Rotterdam port spokesman said.
The cargo is checked from the moment the vessel is moored. A third inspection, standard for the last 10 years, takes place before containers leave the terminal.
The Carsten Maersk is being handled by APMT terminal at Maasvlakte. In total, 1,200 boxes are being unloaded of which 380 originate from Japan. They are loaded with a/o electronics, but no food.
Inspector Richard van Buuren of the state food inspection agency said the chance of transfer of radioactivity small.
“But we don’t take any risk in order to reassure the people. We would rather be safe than sorry,” he said.
The next ships from Japan are scheduled for tomorrow, Sunday and Monday. They will also be checked before they are allowed to come in.
Once moored, the same procedure as with the Carsten Maersk will be executed. After the fifth vessel it is evaluated the port will decide whether to continue in this way, said harbourmaster René de Vries.
“Possibly we will switch to sampling one out of two vessels,” he said. “The problem is that one does not know how the situation in Japan will develop.''
The vessel, the Carsten Maersk, was already checked in Felixstowe by British and Dutch authorities. The radiation level was normal, a Rotterdam port spokesman said.
The cargo is checked from the moment the vessel is moored. A third inspection, standard for the last 10 years, takes place before containers leave the terminal.
The Carsten Maersk is being handled by APMT terminal at Maasvlakte. In total, 1,200 boxes are being unloaded of which 380 originate from Japan. They are loaded with a/o electronics, but no food.
Inspector Richard van Buuren of the state food inspection agency said the chance of transfer of radioactivity small.
“But we don’t take any risk in order to reassure the people. We would rather be safe than sorry,” he said.
The next ships from Japan are scheduled for tomorrow, Sunday and Monday. They will also be checked before they are allowed to come in.
Once moored, the same procedure as with the Carsten Maersk will be executed. After the fifth vessel it is evaluated the port will decide whether to continue in this way, said harbourmaster René de Vries.
“Possibly we will switch to sampling one out of two vessels,” he said. “The problem is that one does not know how the situation in Japan will develop.''