Peru Fuel Removal
As the prime contractor for the NNSA Global Threat Reduction Initiative, STS was responsible for all aspects of the project for safely and securely removing a core load of U.S. Origin uranium from Peru.
The challenge
This project involved transporting a load of irradiated nuclear fuel from Peru to the U.S. for repatriation. Only days before scheduled departure, STS was informed that the vessel was denied passage through the Panama Canal because of an issue beyond the control of STS. There was additional nuclear liability insurance required by the Panamanian authorities that had been imposed at the last minute. A rerouting from Lima to the east coast of the U.S. required the vessel to travel south around the bottom of South America through the rough seas of Cape Horn. This added approximately 17 days of additional sailing time and at a large expense to STS.
How we completed the project
We made the decision to proceed with the vessel re-routing and readjusted the project schedule to reflect the lost 17 days. We then coordinated with the U.S. based transportation provider, law enforcement escorts, receiving facility, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to recalibrate the schedule and ensure a seamless transport event.
We were committed to fulfilling our obligations as the prime contractor and ended up absorbing much of this loss and successfully completing the project rather than putting the work on hold and returning to the NNSA to request additional funding. This project helped to cement our reputation as a company willing to go the extra mile for our clients.