Shipment summary of Bulgaria

Lessons learned (major differences from previous shipments): - The use of an experienced carrier (Kozloduy NPP) with experience in shipping nuclear materials to and from the Russian Federation was a great advantage and avoided problems; - Signing road and river carriers and security contracts in advance minimized last-minute delays at shipment time; - Shipping papers that were drafted and reviewed in advance with the help of representatives from Kozloduy NPP and PA 'Mayak' avoided last-minute delays; - Have all permits and licenses in place as far in advance as possible; - Procure nuclear liability, cargo, and personnel insurance in advance of the shipment; - Provide a senior technical person with the authority to resolve issues en-route to accompany the shipment; - Pre-arrange a method for 24-hour monitoring and reporting during shipment to provide 'Need-to-Know' information to the appropriate personnel to provide immediate additional technical support, if needed; - Develop a coded tracking system in advance to allow monitoring reports to DOE without compromising security; - Having communications equipment, a laptop computer and a printer on the barge was very useful for the technical person accompanying the shipment; - Very good cooperation with the Bulgarian nuclear safety authorities helped with planning and implementation; - Very good cooperation with other important partners in Bulgaria - Kozloduy NPP, Bulgarian Police and Gendarme, Bulgarian Fire and Rescue Corps, helped with shipment planning and provided appropriate support during the shipment; - Assure that all interested and involved organizations have a sufficient security level (Secret and Confidential level) for their main points of contact personnel