WO2017106809A1

WO2017106809A1 - Storing and transporting radioactive materials

Info

Publication number: WO2017106809A1
Application number: PCT/US2016/067422
Authority: WO
Inventors: Juan Pablo BERNAL
Original assignee: Golden Security Services Us Inc.
Priority date: 2015-12-17
Filing date: 2016-12-19
Publication date: 2017-06-22

Abstract

An intermodal stackable shipping container is used to store and transport radioactive materials. The container has an interior partition dividing the container into a radioactive storage area and an equipment area radioactively isolated from the storage area. An access door enables a person to enter the equipment area from an exterior of the container, and without opening the storage area. The equipment area houses electronic security and radiation monitoring equipment, which is configured to sense access to the storage area and to sense ambient radioactivity in the storage area. Radiation shielding material lines the surface of the interior partition. Communication equipment transmits the state of radiation and access to the container.

Description

STORING AND TRANSPORTING RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.

62/269,070, filed December 17, 2015, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The disclosure relates to storage and transportation of radioactive materials, and particularly to storage and transportation of such using intermodal containers.

BACKGROUND

Millions of radioactive sources have been distributed worldwide over the past 50 years, with hundreds of thousands of sources currently being used, stored, and produced.

Worldwide, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reported on specific applications: more than 10,000 radiotherapy units for medical care are in use; about 12,000 industrial sources for radiography are supplied annually; and about 300 irradiator facilities containing radioactive sources for industrial applications are in operation. It is therefore understandable that physical protection of radioactive material (protecting it from malevolent hands) and control of orphan sources are currently the number one priority of the IAEA and member states. As the number of sources increases, so does the need to securely transport and store those sources. At the same time, growing concern that terrorist or criminal groups could gain access to high-activity radioactive sources and use the sources maliciously has led to a global trend towards increased control, accounting and security of radioactive sources.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In an embodiment of the disclosure, a device for storing and transporting radioactive materials comprises an intermodal stackable shipping container, including an interior partition dividing the container into a radioactive storage area and an equipment area radioactively isolated from the storage area; an access portal sized to admit a person into the equipment area from an exterior of the container, the access portal openable without opening the storage area; electronic security and radiation monitoring equipment installed in the equipment area and configured to sense access to the storage area and to sense ambient radioactivity in the storage area; and radiation shielding material provided at least along the surface of the interior partition. In variations thereof, the device further includes an openable roof positioned above the storage area, the roof openable to enable loading and unloading of radioactive material in the storage area; at least one hook of sufficient strength to enable lifting of the roof; an end portal openable to enable loading and unloading of radioactive material into the storage area; and/or a motion sensor in the storage area. In other variations thereof, the equipment is configured to sense access to the storage area being an alarm system, the container further including an end portal openable to enable loading and unloading of radioactive material into the storage area; and a door switch connected to each of the roof, the end portal, and the access portal and configured to trigger the alarm system if a door switch is triggered while the alarm is armed; a motion sensor in each of the storage area and the equipment area, the alarm configured to trigger if motion is detected by a motion sensor when the alarm is armed; and/or a wireless communication system in the equipment area, the wireless communication system configured to transmit information pertaining to access to the storage area and ambient radiation in the storage area.

In further variations thereof, the device includes a truck configured to carry the container; a lifting arm configured to unload the container from the truck; a radiation shielded viewing portal positioned on the interior position to enable viewing of the storage area from the equipment area; and/or the equipment area is positioned on an end of the container opposite the end portal.

In another embodiment of the disclosure, an intermodal shipping container includes an interior partition dividing the container into a radioactive storage area at least partially surrounded by radiation shielding, and an equipment area radioactively isolated from the storage area; an access portal sized to admit a person into the equipment area from an exterior of the container, the access portal openable without opening the storage area; electronic security, radiation monitoring, and communications equipment installed in the equipment area and configured to sense access to the storage area and to sense ambient radioactivity in the storage area, and to communicate information away from the container pertaining to access to the storage area and ambient radioactivity in the storage area; and an openable roof positioned above the storage area, the roof openable to enable loading and unloading of radioactive material in the storage area.

In variations thereof, the equipment is configured to sense access to the storage area being an alarm system, the container further including an end portal openable to enable loading and unloading of radioactive material into the storage area; a door switch connected to each of the roof, the end portal, and the access portal and configured to trigger the alarm system if a door switch is triggered while the alarm is armed; and a motion sensor in each of the storage area and the equipment area, the alarm configured to trigger if motion is detected by a motion sensor when the alarm is armed; and or the openable roof is hingedly connected to the remainder of the container.

In another embodiment of the disclosure, a method of storing and transporting radioactive material comprises providing an intermodal shipping container, including: an interior partition dividing the container into a radioactive storage area at least partially surrounded by radiation shielding, and an equipment area radioactively isolated from the storage area; an access portal sized to admit a person into the equipment area from an exterior of the container, the access portal openable without opening the storage area; electronic security, radiation monitoring, and communications equipment installed in the equipment area and configured to sense access to the storage area and to sense ambient radioactivity in the storage area, and to communicate information away from the container pertaining to access to the storage area and ambient radioactivity in the storage area; and an openable roof positioned above the storage area, the roof openable to enable loading and unloading of radioactive material in the storage area.

In variations thereof, the method further includes communicating information away from the container pertaining to access to the storage area and ambient radioactivity in the storage area; monitoring radiation within the storage area using equipment in the equipment area; maintaining equipment in the equipment room without accessing the storage area;

and/or transporting the intermodal shipping container on a route over both land and sea without opening the storage area during the route. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the present disclosure, and the attendant advantages and features thereof, will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein: FIG. 1 schematically shows a side view of an embodiment of the compartmentalized portable storage facility according to the disclosure.

FIG. 2 schematically shows a side view of the embodiment of the compartmentalized portable storage facility of FIG. 1 with the top lid open.

FIG. 3 schematically shows a top view of the embodiment of the compartmentalized portable storage facility of FIG. 1 with the side access doors open.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a prototype compartmentalized portable storage facility according to the disclosure.

FIG. 5 shows another prototype compartmentalized portable storage facility according to the disclosure on a secure radiological transportation vehicle (SRTV). The SRTV is especially designed and built to transport category 1, 2 and 3 level sources stored in a container such as the compartmentalized portable storage facility according to the disclosure from routine transportation tasks to large scale Country-wide source consolidation efforts. The SRTV combines a security upgraded truck 200, integration hardware and software, and an arm crane 210. FIG. 6-8 show exemplary sensors that can be used with the compartmentalized portable storage facility according to the disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic view of a computing and communication system, portions or all of which usable in carrying out the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

As required, embodiments are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples and that the systems and methods described below can be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present subject matter in virtually any appropriately detailed structure and function. Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting, but rather, to provide an understandable description of the concepts.

The terms "a" or "an", as used herein, are defined as one or more than one. The term plurality, as used herein, is defined as two or more than two. The term another, as used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms "including" and "having," as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open language). The term "coupled," as used herein, is defined as "connected," although not necessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically.

The disclosure provides for cost-effective, safe and secure transportation and storage of radioactive sources. The disclosure provides a compartmentalized portable storage facility (CPSF) for secure transportation and/or storage of sealed radioactive sources, and in particular to a CPSF that has a storage room for sealed radioactive sources and an equipment room segregated and shielded from any sources in the storage room to allow operators management of all functionality, safety, security and maintenance aspects of the CPSF from the equipment room without exposure to the storage room where any sources are housed.

The IAEA defines a sealed source as radioactive material that is permanently sealed in a capsule or is closely bonded and in a solid form. The capsule or material of a sealed source shall be strong enough to maintain leak-tightness under the conditions of use and wear for which the source was designed, also under foreseeable mishaps. The IAEA uses a five (5) category system to assign radioactive sources with Category 1 sources considered to pose a high risk to human health if not managed safely and securely, and Category 5 sources considered a low risk.

The current uses of sea-land containers for the transportation and/or storage of radioactive sources do not provide a separate storage room from an equipment control room resulting in operators and/or maintenance personnel having to frequently and unnecessarily access the storage room where the sources are kept when working, upgrading or maintaining the equipment installed for safety and security purposes.

The compartmentalized portable storage facility according to the disclosure is uniquely designed to tackle secure transportation and/or storage (both short term and long term) of Category 1, 2, and 3 sealed sources. The disclosure contemplates that the compartmentalized portable storage facility can be used for any Category of sealed sources. Further, the disclosure contemplates that the compartmentalized portable storage facility can be used in the cargo industry in general if a similar division inside the sea-land container could be used to maintain separate cargo from mixing. Other suitable applications are also contemplated by the disclosure.

The design of the compartmentalized portable storage facility according to the disclosure allows operators to manage all functionality, safety and security aspects of the portable storage facility without the risk of exposure. According to the disclosure, the compartmentalized portable storage facility can be constructed as a dedicated unit or can be constructed based on modification of an existing intermodal container.

An intermodal container is a large standardized shipping container, designed and built for intermodal freight transport, meaning these containers can be used across different modes of transport (from ship to rail to truck) without unloading and reloading their cargo. These containers are known under a number of names, such as simply container, cargo or freight container, ISO container, shipping, sea or ocean container, container van or (Conex) box, sea or c can. They are stackable in a loading dock area, and are similarly stackable upon trains and ships. They include latches at the corners so that the intermodal containers can be securely connected to each other. The containers are typically made of steel, and the sides and doors are usually corrugated to provide additional strength.

Intermodal containers exist in many types and a number of standardized sizes, but ninety percent of the global container fleet are so-called "dry freight" or "general purpose" containers, durable closed steel boxes, mostly of either twenty or forty foot (6 or 12 m) standard length. The common heights are 8 feet 6 inches (2.6 m) and 9 feet 6 inches (2.9 m), the latter are known as High Cube or Hi-Cube containers.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, an embodiment of the compartmentalized portable storage facility (CPSF) 100 includes a storage room 70 for holding the sealed sources and an operations or equipment room 60 for holding equipment 62 to monitor, control, and/or adjust environmental parameters of CPSF 100. A protective partition 80 separates storage room 70 from equipment room 60.

Protective partition 80 that divides CPSF 100 into two discrete areas contains a lead barrier that protects the operators from radiation exposure when accessing equipment room 60. Protective partition 80 also protects the truck cabin 200 (or other transport vehicle) when CPSF 100 is loaded onto a flatbed to be used in transportation. Any suitable radiation shielding material 84 other than lead could be used for partition 80. Partition 80 can include a window 82 (again including radiation shielding material) to allow direct visualization of storage area 70 and/or a door or other portal (again including radiation shielding material) to allow direct access between storage room 70 and equipment room 60.

The arrangement and construction of partition 80, storage area 70, and equipment room 60 result in a unique compartmentalized design for the safe transportation and /or storage of sealed radioactive sources that allows operators to manage all functionality, safety, security and maintenance aspects of CPSF 100 from equipment room 60 without the need to access storage room 70 where the sources are kept.

The disclosure contemplates that the radiation barrier found in partition 80 (or a similar barrier) can be used in one or more of the side walls 110 and/or the top of CPSF 100. Such an arrangement might be desirable, for example, when CPSF 100 is to be used for long-term storage or in transportation without the need for special arrangements.

From the exterior, CPSF 100 has access to storage room 70 through a double door access 20 and a top lid access 30. Access to equipment room 60 is via door 10. Alarm sensor switches 32 can be used on any or all portals, and motion sensors 34 can be provided in storage room 70 and equipment room 60, for increased security. Although top lid access 30 is showed only covering storage room 70 (and thereby providing access to storage room 70), if desired, top lid access 30 could extend to equipment room 60. Hinges 50 allow top lid access 30 to swing open and closed and holds 40 are useful to hold CPSF 100 with a hook or other similar implement either to secure CPSF 100 in place coupled to an object or to lift CPSF 100 for moving CPSF 100.

In most instances, stable power is critical to CPSF 100 operation. A single or multiple 110v/220v connection allows for CPSF 100 to connect to the standard power grid when in static operation. For mobile operation CPSF 100 is set up with an adapter 64 to connect to a 12v input from the transport vehicle and convert power to 110v/220v for normal operation. Of course, a suitable generator could be used regardless of whether in static or mobile operation. Additional, solar panels or any alternative energy source could be added to CPSF 100 for at least partial or total power generation, which can be used for lighting devices 66, sensors 34, 120, climate control, and other systems as described herein. In use, radioactive sealed sources are loaded into storage room 70 through side storage room doors 20 or through top lid access 30. Security and safety peripherals/equipment are installed outside of CPSF 100 and inside equipment room 60 and storage 70 room. Security and safety control/equipment is installed inside equipment room 60. Operators and maintenance personnel access equipment room 60 through side access door 10.

FIGS. 6-8 show exemplary sensors 120 used to monitor CPSF 100, for example for ambient nuclear radiation. In addition to or as an alternative to sensors 120, the security and safety control/equipment can include video cameras, video monitors, access controls, radiation monitors, alarms, and any other suitable equipment used to manage all

functionality, safety, security and maintenance aspects of radiation storage, handling, and transportation.

A wired or wireless communication system 68 is connected to equipment 62/64, and can include components detailed below with respect to system 700. Alarm states or

environmental information can be transmitted using the communication system 68, so that managers responsible for the radioactive material can monitor the safe storage and transport of the radioactive material. In an embodiment, communication system uses cellular transmission frequencies, although shorter range transmission methods such as ZIGBEE, RUBY, BLUETOOTH, WIFI, and other systems can be used when detectors are within range. In an embodiment, communication system 68 exploits networks provide for the Internet of Things (IoT). Information transmitted can include any or all of ambient levels of radiation in the storage room 70 and/or the equipment room 60; a state of an alarm

monitoring storage room 70 and equipment room 60, including intrusion detection;

temperature, humidity, and/or other environmental parameters not relating to nuclear radiation.

Example Computing System

Equipment area 60 can contain one or more of the electronic components listed elsewhere herein, including a computing system. An example block diagram of such a computing system 700 is illustrated in FIG. 9. In this example, an electronic device 752 is a wireless two-way communication device with voice and data communication capabilities. Such electronic devices communicate with a wireless voice or data network 750 using a suitable wireless communications protocol. Wireless voice communications are performed using either an analog or digital wireless communication channel. Data communications allow the electronic device 752 to communicate with other computer systems via the Internet. Examples of electronic devices that are able to incorporate the above described systems and methods include, for example, a data messaging device, a two-way pager, a cellular telephone with data messaging capabilities, a wireless Internet appliance or a data communication device that may or may not include telephony capabilities.

The illustrated electronic device 752 is an example electronic device that includes two- way wireless communications functions. Such electronic devices incorporate communication subsystem elements such as a wireless transmitter 710, a wireless receiver 712, and associated components such as one or more antenna elements 714 and 716. A digital signal processor (DSP) 708 performs processing to extract data from received wireless signals and to generate signals to be transmitted. The particular design of the communication subsystem is dependent upon the communication network and associated wireless communications protocols with which the device is intended to operate.

The electronic device 752 includes a microprocessor 702 that controls the overall operation of the electronic device 752. The microprocessor 702 interacts with the above described communications subsystem elements and also interacts with other device subsystems such as flash memory 706, random access memory (RAM) 704, auxiliary input/output (I/O) device 738, data port 728, display 734, keyboard 736, speaker 732, microphone 730, a short-range communications subsystem 720, a power subsystem 722, and any other device subsystems.

A battery 724 is connected to a power subsystem 722 to provide power to the circuits of the electronic device 752. The power subsystem 722 includes power distribution circuitry for providing power to the electronic device 752 and also contains battery charging circuitry to manage recharging the battery 724. The power subsystem 722 includes a battery monitoring circuit that is operable to provide a status of one or more battery status indicators, such as remaining capacity, temperature, voltage, electrical current consumption, and the like, to various components of the electronic device 752. The data port 728 is able to support data communications between the electronic device

752 and other devices through various modes of data communications, such as high speed data transfers over an optical communications circuits or over electrical data communications circuits such as a USB connection incorporated into the data port 728 of some examples. Data port 728 is able to support communications with, for example, an external computer or other device.

Data communication through data port 728 enables a user to set preferences through the external device or through a software application and extends the capabilities of the device by enabling information or software exchange through direct connections between the electronic device 752 and external data sources rather than via a wireless data communication network. In addition to data communication, the data port 728 provides power to the power subsystem 722 to charge the battery 724 or to supply power to the electronic circuits, such as

microprocessor 702, of the electronic device 752.

Operating system software used by the microprocessor 702 is stored in flash memory 706. Further examples are able to use a battery backed-up RAM or other non-volatile storage data elements to store operating systems, other executable programs, or both. The operating system software, device application software, or parts thereof, are able to be temporarily loaded into volatile data storage such as RAM 704. Data received via wireless

communication signals or through wired communications are also able to be stored to RAM 704.

The microprocessor 702, in addition to its operating system functions, is able to execute software applications on the electronic device 752. A predetermined set of applications that control basic device operations, including at least data and voice communication applications, is able to be installed on the electronic device 752 during manufacture. Examples of applications that are able to be loaded onto the device may be a personal information manager (PIM) application having the ability to organize and manage data items relating to the device user, such as, but not limited to, e-mail, calendar events, voice mails,

appointments, and task items.

Further applications may also be loaded onto the electronic device 752 through, for example, the wireless network 750, an auxiliary I/O device 738, Data port 728, short-range communications subsystem 720, or any combination of these interfaces. Such applications are then able to be installed by a user in the RAM 704 or a non-volatile store for execution by the microprocessor 702.

In a data communication mode, a received signal such as a text message or web page download is processed by the communication subsystem, including wireless receiver 712 and wireless transmitter 710, and communicated data is provided the microprocessor 702, which is able to further process the received data for output to the display 734, or alternatively, to an auxiliary I/O device 738 or the Data port 728. A user of the electronic device 752 may also compose data items, such as e-mail messages, using the keyboard 736, which is able to include a complete alphanumeric keyboard or a telephone-type keypad, in conjunction with the display 734 and possibly an auxiliary I/O device 738. Such composed items are then able to be transmitted over a communication network through the communication subsystem.

For voice communications, overall operation of the electronic device 752 is

substantially similar, except that received signals are generally provided to a speaker 732 and signals for transmission are generally produced by a microphone 730. Alternative voice or audio I/O subsystems, such as a voice message recording subsystem, may also be

implemented on the electronic device 752. Although voice or audio signal output is generally accomplished primarily through the speaker 732, the display 734 may also be used to provide an indication of the identity of a calling party, the duration of a voice call, or other voice call related information, for example.

Depending on conditions or statuses of the electronic device 752, one or more particular functions associated with a subsystem circuit may be disabled, or an entire subsystem circuit may be disabled. For example, if the battery temperature is low, then voice functions may be disabled, but data communications, such as e-mail, may still be enabled over the

communication subsystem.

A short-range communications subsystem 720 provides for data communication between the electronic device 752 and different systems or devices, which need not necessarily be similar devices. For example, the short-range communications subsystem 720 includes an infrared device and associated circuits and components or a Radio Frequency based communication module such as one supporting Bluetooth® communications, to provide for communication with similarly-enabled systems and devices, including the data file transfer communications described above.

A media reader 760 connectable to an auxiliary I/O device 738 to allow, for example, loading computer readable program code of a computer program product into the electronic device 752 for storage into flash memory 706. One example of a media reader 760 is an optical drive such as a CD/DVD drive, which may be used to store data to and read data from a computer readable medium or storage product such as computer readable storage media 762. Examples of suitable computer readable storage media include optical storage media such as a CD or DVD, magnetic media, or any other suitable data storage device. Media reader 760 is alternatively able to be connected to the electronic device through the Data port 728 or computer readable program code is alternatively able to be provided to the electronic device 752 through the wireless network 750. All references cited herein are expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety. It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present disclosure is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described herein above.

In addition, unless mention was made above to the contrary, it should be noted that all of the accompanying drawings are not to scale. There are many different features to the present disclosure and it is contemplated that these features may be used together or separately. Thus, the disclosure should not be limited to any particular combination of features or to a particular application of the disclosure. Further, it should be understood that variations and modifications within the spirit and scope of the disclosure might occur to those skilled in the art to which the disclosure pertains. Accordingly, all expedient modifications readily attainable by one versed in the art from the disclosure set forth herein that are within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure are to be included as further embodiments of the present disclosure.

Claims

THE CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A device for storing and transporting radioactive materials, comprising: an intermodal stackable shipping container, including an interior partition dividing the container into a radioactive storage area and an equipment area radioactively isolated from the storage area; an access portal sized to admit a person into the equipment area from an exterior of the container, the access portal openable without opening the storage area; electronic security and radiation monitoring equipment installed in the equipment area and configured to sense access to the storage area and to sense ambient radioactivity in the storage area; and radiation shielding material provided at least along the surface of the interior partition.

2. The device of claim 1, further including an openable roof positioned above the storage area, the roof openable to enable loading and unloading of radioactive material in the storage area.

3. The device of claim 1, further including at least one hook of sufficient strength to enable lifting of the roof.

4. The device of claim 1, the container including an end portal openable to enable loading and unloading of radioactive material into the storage area.

5. The device of claim 1, further including a motion sensor in the storage area.

6. The device of claim 2, the equipment configured to sense access to the storage area being an alarm system, the container further including: an end portal openable to enable loading and unloading of radioactive material into the storage area; and a door switch connected to each of the roof, the end portal, and the access portal and configured to trigger the alarm system if a door switch is triggered while the alarm is armed.

7. The device of claim 6, further including a motion sensor in each of the storage area and the equipment area, the alarm configured to trigger if motion is detected by a motion sensor when the alarm is armed.

8. The device of claim 1, further including a wireless communication system in the equipment area, the wireless communication system configured to transmit information pertaining to access to the storage area and ambient radiation in the storage area.

9. The device of claim 1, further including a truck configured to carry the container.

10. The device of claim 9, further including a lifting arm configured to unload the container from the truck.

11. The device of claim 1, further including a radiation shielded viewing portal positioned on the interior position to enable viewing of the storage area from the equipment area.

12. The device of claim 4, wherein the equipment area is positioned on an end of the container opposite the end portal.

13. An intermodal shipping container, including: an interior partition dividing the container into a radioactive storage area at least partially surrounded by radiation shielding, and an equipment area radioactively isolated from the storage area; an access portal sized to admit a person into the equipment area from an exterior of the container, the access portal openable without opening the storage area; electronic security, radiation monitoring, and communications equipment installed in the equipment area and configured to sense access to the storage area and to sense ambient radioactivity in the storage area, and to communicate information away from the container pertaining to access to the storage area and ambient radioactivity in the storage area; and an openable roof positioned above the storage area, the roof openable to enable loading and unloading of radioactive material in the storage area.

14. The device of claim 13, the equipment configured to sense access to the storage area being an alarm system, the container further including: an end portal openable to enable loading and unloading of radioactive material into the storage area; a door switch connected to each of the roof, the end portal, and the access portal and configured to trigger the alarm system if a door switch is triggered while the alarm is armed; and a motion sensor in each of the storage area and the equipment area, the alarm configured to trigger if motion is detected by a motion sensor when the alarm is armed.

15. The device of claim 13, the openable roof hingedly connected to the remainder of the container.

16. A method of storing and transporting radioactive material, comprising: providing an intermodal shipping container, including: an interior partition dividing the container into a radioactive storage area at least partially surrounded by radiation shielding, and an equipment area radioactively isolated from the storage area;

an access portal sized to admit a person into the equipment area from an exterior of the container, the access portal openable without opening the storage area; electronic security, radiation monitoring, and communications equipment installed in the equipment area and configured to sense access to the storage area and to sense ambient radioactivity in the storage area, and to communicate information away from the container pertaining to access to the storage area and ambient radioactivity in the storage area; and an openable roof positioned above the storage area, the roof openable to enable loading and unloading of radioactive material in the storage area.

17. The method of claim 16, further including communicating information away from the container pertaining to access to the storage area and ambient radioactivity in the storage area.

18. The method of claim 16, further including monitoring radiation within the storage area using equipment in the equipment area.

19. The method of claim 16, further including maintaining equipment in the equipment room without accessing the storage area.

20. The method of claim 14, further including transporting the intermodal shipping container on a route over both land and sea without opening the storage area during the route.