A ship carrying 23 containers of zinc dust contaminated with radioactive cesium‑137, which arrived from Indonesia, is reportedly being held offshore by Philippine authorities near Manila Bay. The vessel has been denied permission to dock while officials determine how to safely handle and dispose of the hazardous cargo.
The incident began in September, when radiation alarms went off at Jakarta’s Tanjung Priok Port. Tests by Indonesia’s nuclear agency BAPETEN found Cesium-137 levels up to 210 times higher than normal in nine out of 14 containers that had arrived from the Philippines. A few days later, a second batch of nine containers was also tested, with five found contaminated. In both cases, the radiation was limited to the interior of the boxes, according to their report.
Indonesia refused entry for the shipment and ordered the cargo to be sent back to the Philippines. The containers were reportedly shipped by Zannwann International Trading Corp., a Chinese company operating in the Philippines. Zannwann said it purchased the zinc dust from local manufacturer SteelAsia.
SteelAsia has denied responsibility, claiming it only produces reinforced steel bars and does not handle zinc dust. However, Philippine authorities insist the contamination likely came from SteelAsia’s facility. The company has agreed to temporarily suspend operations for inspection and testing of its plant, warehouse, and employees.
The Philippine Nuclear Research Institute is now demanding that SteelAsia take custody of the containers and bury the radioactive material. Meanwhile, the ship carrying the returned cargo remains anchored outside Manila, awaiting official clearance.
