A cargo ship is currently stranded off the coast of the Philippines carrying 23 containers of zinc dust contaminated with the radioactive isotope Cesium-137. The ship, rejected by Indonesia, cannot dock at Manila’s port until a secure site is identified for the hazardous cargo, a task the Philippine government is urgently addressing.
Status of the Stranded Cargo
The vessel is currently anchored at sea, having been denied entry at Manila’s port because no local authority has agreed to accept the containers for temporary storage or disposal. Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) Director Carlo Arcilla confirmed that port authorities require a designated area to be identified for the hazardous cargo before the ship can dock or unload. Arcilla also noted that the materials pose no immediate danger to the public, as radiation levels outside the containers are very low and the crew onboard are in good health.
Tracing the Radioactive Material
The contaminated zinc dust, tainted with Cesium-137, was originally exported from the Philippines to Indonesia by Zannwann International Trading Corporation, a Chinese-owned trading firm with offices in Manila. Indonesian officials detected the radiation during inspection and ordered the shipment’s return. The PNRI later traced the material’s source to SteelAsia Manufacturing Corporation, the Philippines’ largest steel producer, and another unnamed local steel firm. Initial tests reportedly found radioactive contamination only at SteelAsia’s scrap recycling plant in Batangas province.
SteelAsia’s Denial and Actions
SteelAsia Manufacturing Corporation has firmly denied any involvement in the shipment, asserting that the containers did not originate from its facility. The company states that it does not manufacture or export zinc dust, lacks the technical capability to handle radioactive materials, and enforces strict radiation testing on all scrap metals used in production. SteelAsia’s Chief Operating Officer, Rafael Hidalgo, disputed the PNRI’s findings of Cesium-137 contamination at its Batangas facility, insisting the company had no role in producing or exporting the contaminated material. Despite its denial and warning that the Batangas site is not equipped to manage radioactive waste, SteelAsia has temporarily suspended operations at its plant “out of an abundance of caution” while cooperating with regulators.
Government Response and Regional Concern
The Philippine government’s immediate focus is to find a secure site to store or entomb the 23 containers and remove any remaining radioactive material found at SteelAsia’s facility and Zannwann’s warehouse, which could be “substantial.” An inter-agency committee comprising the Departments of Environment, Health, Defence, and Local Government has been formed to investigate the incident. This contamination incident adds to a growing regional concern, following a discovery of Cesium-137 contamination at an Indonesian metal-processing facility in September, which led to Indonesia suspending scrap metal imports. Cesium-137 is a man-made radioactive isotope, a byproduct of nuclear fission, used in medical devices and industrial gauges.
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Source: Marine Insight
