Modelling radioactive materials tracking in sea transportation by rfid technology

Abstract

The demand for radioactive materials has been increasing over the past decades, and therefore it is to be expected that the need for radioactive cargo transportation shall also increase. The Radio Frequency and Identification (RFID) technology has become the most spread for tracking and tracing radioactive cargo in road and rail transportation. The easy installation, simple and fast data transfer from the sensors through RFID readers have provided a safe and easy way of using this technology. A variety of sensors, such as seal, temperature, humidity, shock, gamma radiation and neutron detector are the key, but not the only ones of the complex system that is responsible for the safe transportation of radioactive cargo. By the appropriate software, on-site databases and secured Internet, the operator has insight into the condition of the radioactive material inside the containers without the risk of exposure to radiation, and without compromising the safety and security of the data exchange at any time. Thanks to the latest-generation crypto tools, security is additionally guaranteed. Within the context, this article presents a model of radioactive cargo tracking by RFID technology in sea transportation. The model is based on the ARG-US RFID system successfully deployed in road and rail transportation and its possible implementation at ships specialized for nuclear cargo transport.