Radiation Check of Shipments from Japan

Please consider the following information to be the first notification of the Company’s newly-introduced radiation inspection procedure. Nippon Express Japan staff would be more than happy to provide further information for shippers should they require it.

As you are aware, the “MOL Majesty”, the first ship to depart from a Japanese port following the Fukushima power plant incident, arrived at Hamburg on April 12. This vessel and all subsequent arrivals will be subject to a series of special security procedures.

All vessels will be checked at the first European port of arrival, usually Rotterdam. As far as the Hamburg terminal is concerned, individual containers will be checked for radiation contamination. Beginning with the arrival of the “MOL Majesty”, the inspection procedurewill apply to all cargo containers originating in Japan.

Regardless ofthe nature of the cargo and the means of transport, containers will be subject to inspection by means ofCPA (Container X-ray Inspection Institute) at the Hamburg Waltershof customs office.

This will affect all means of transport as follows:

• truck transport – containers must be CPA checked before leaving port
• rail transport – each container must be delivered for CPA inspection by a separate truck before loading onto rail wagons

The procedure will inevitably result in time delays and additional short haulage requirements which could lead to the disruption of rail departures to the Czech Republic. In addition, the inspection of containers may incur extra costs.

It is envisaged that the procedure will remain in place for the next 4 weeks but may have to be prolonged depending on further developments.