[en] Robotic handling of nuclear waste shipping casks has the potential to significantly reduce occupational radiation exposure and computer monitoring of operator interactions with the system can improve safety. Furthermore, robot programmability can provide an automated audit trail for quality assurance. This report discussed the impact of cask design on the potential application of robotic systems to repository based nuclear waste shipping cask handling operations. The main conclusions are: (1) incorporation of cask system design features which facilitate robotic cask handling can be achieved with minimal impact on cask functional features, (2) proper cask design allows robotic cask handling operations from unbolting cask tie-down straps to radiation surveys to be performed quickly and reliably without direct human intervention, and (3) design for remote handling also facilitates manual handling operations. 12 refs., 9 figs., 4 tabs