Security of Radioactive Sources Enhanced by the Republic of the Congo with Assistance from the IAEA

In 2010, the University Hospital of Brazzaville received a new cobalt 60 (Co-60) sealed source for the hospital’s teletherapy machine, replacing its original source, which was no longer able to deliver effective treatment. The disused sealed source was then packaged and shipped by boat to the supplier. However, the delivery of the package was blocked in transit due to problems with the shipping documents and was returned to the Republic of the Congo. Since 2010, the Co-60 source has been stored at the Autonomous Port of Pointe Noire, one of the most important commercial harbours in Central Africa.

In the meantime, the replacement source installed in the teletherapy machine of the University Hospital of Brazzaville has also decayed to a level of radioactivity that is no longer useful for clinical teletherapy purposes. As a result, the country now had to deal with two disused sources.

In recent years, IAEA technical cooperation and nuclear security experts and their counterparts in the Republic of the Congo redoubled their efforts to address the risks posed by the presence of these disused sources stationed at the hospital and at the port. A detailed national action plan was developed, involving the cooperation of several branches of the government, including the Ministries of Defence, of Transportation, of Health, of Mines and Energy, as well as the Ministry of Scientific Research and Technological Innovation.

“The August 2020 explosion that occurred in Beirut Harbour reminded the Congolese Authorities of the risks to unmanaged or unregulated material, particularly in national ports and harbours,” said Coussoud-Mavoungou. Congolese decision-makers agreed that the disused source had to urgently leave the Autonomous Port of Pointe Noire.

Following a comprehensive planning and preparation phase, a transport security plan was finalized on location in November, with the support of IAEA experts. They designed a security system for the package and conducted a pre-shipment verification and simulation. At the same time, 45 participants were trained from the five government Ministries involved in the transport by road of the source in Pointe Noire.

On 17 November 2020, IAEA experts also conducted a site assessment of the locations where the sources would be temporarily stored until final export. Following the assessment, the government has made changes in line with IAEA recommendations to increase the security of these locations.

The transport by road of the Pointe Noire source took place at the end of the IAEA experts’ mission. Now, the sources are secured and awaiting final removal from the country to an appropriate long-term storage facility.

“In addition to organizing workshops on transport security, IAEA experts furthermore reviewed our transport plans and helped to administer the recovery mission. This support was invaluable, and now both sources are awaiting transportation outside the country,” said Coussoud-Mavoungou when addressing the national multi-ministerial team after the successful completion of the transport.