Saudi Arabia Sets New Regulations for Transporting Nuclear, Radioactive Material

New regulations for transporting radioactive material in Saudi waters (Asharq Al-Awsat)
New regulations for transporting radioactive material in Saudi waters (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Sets New Regulations for Transporting Nuclear, Radioactive Material

New regulations for transporting radioactive material in Saudi waters (Asharq Al-Awsat)
New regulations for transporting radioactive material in Saudi waters (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi authorities issued new regulations for maritime transportation and handling of nuclear and radioactive materials to, from, and through Saudi Arabia, according to official sources.

The authorities informed all port managers, maritime agents, and operating companies of the new measures calling on the representatives of the private sector operating in Saudi ports to adhere to the new requirements issued by the Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Commission (NRRC).

Saudi Port Authority (Mawani) announced that any company importing, exporting, or transiting nuclear and radioactive materials through the Kingdom must obtain a license from competent authorities.

The Authority asserted that the Commission must be notified regarding the innocent passage of ships carrying nuclear and radioactive materials and their belongings.

The agent must ensure that the sender and the consignee have prior authorization if the ship is carrying a cargo of this kind.

The Authority banned the import, export, and transit of radioactive waste across the Kingdom’s territorial sea. It also indicated that shipments containing spent fuel must obtain a license and written notice two weeks ahead of the shipping date.

The new requirements also prevent ships from carrying plutonium unless it is part of a medical device, with specific requirements.

If the ship's interior is contaminated with radioactive materials in ports, harbors, or the territorial waters of the Kingdom, it must be removed by an authorized authority, before the ship returns to service.

The Authority stressed that if a ship transporting nuclear materials was involved in an accident, it should issue a detailed report on the measures taken. Also, the flag state bears full responsibility for any accident per the Kingdom's maritime law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The Ports Authority, in cooperation with the Saudi Customs, recently adopted a new mechanism for handling merchandise and containers of abandoned goods and containers in the ports that exceed its statutory period.

The Authority indicated that this procedure increases the speed of the container turnover rate for shipping lines and ensures the optimal use of the ports' capacity.

It emphasized that this decision aims to define the roles and responsibilities of the concerned authorities within the port on handling abandoned goods.



World Bank to Finance Syria with $146 Million to Restore Electricity

Syrians walk in a dark street in Douma. Reuters file photo
Syrians walk in a dark street in Douma. Reuters file photo
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World Bank to Finance Syria with $146 Million to Restore Electricity

Syrians walk in a dark street in Douma. Reuters file photo
Syrians walk in a dark street in Douma. Reuters file photo

The World Bank approved a $146 million grant to help Syria restore reliable, affordable electricity and support the country's economic recovery, it said in a statement on Wednesday.

“The Syria Electricity Emergency Project (SEEP) will rehabilitate damaged transmission lines and transformer substations and provide technical assistance to support the development of the electricity sector and build the capacity of its institutions,” it said.

After 14 years of war, Syria's electricity sector has been suffering from severe damage to its grid and power stations, aging infrastructure, and persistent fuel shortages.

"Among Syria’s urgent reconstruction needs, rehabilitating the electricity sector has emerged as a critical, no-regret investment that can improve the living conditions of the Syrian people, support the return of refugees and the internally displaced, enable resumption of other services such as water services and healthcare for the population and help kickstart economic recovery," said World Bank Middle East Division Director Jean-Christophe Carret.

"This project represents the first step in a planned increase in World Bank support to Syria on its path to recovery and development,” he added.

According to the World Bank statement, the SEEP will finance the rehabilitation of high voltage transmission lines, including two critical 400 kV high-voltage interconnector transmission lines damaged during the conflict, restoring Syria’s regional connectivity to Jordan and Türkiye.

The project will also repair damaged high-voltage transformer substations near demand centers in the most impacted areas that host the highest number of returnee refugees and internally displaced people and provide necessary spare parts and maintenance equipment.

In addition, the SEEP will provide technical assistance to inform the country’s key electricity sector strategies, policy and regulatory reforms, and investment plans for medium to long term sustainability. It will also provide capacity building support to the electricity sector institutions to implement these strategies and reforms.