The Paradip Port Authority (PPA) has strengthened its security and safety infrastructure with the installation of a Radiological Detection Equipment (RDE) system at New Gate 1. The facility is designed to identify radioactive materials and help prevent the illicit movement of nuclear or radioactive substances through the port. It will screen cargo and vehicles entering the premises as part of the port’s security arrangements.

The project, valued at over Rs. 213.2 mn, includes the supply, installation and commissioning of radiological detection systems. It also covers a 10-year comprehensive annual maintenance contract (CAMC), intended to support the equipment’s continued operation and upkeep.

The project has been executed in collaboration with Electronics Corporation of India (ECIL), a Central undertaking under the Department of Atomic Energy. The equipment package includes Vehicle Monitoring Systems (VMS 4030), isotope identifiers and high-precision radiation survey meters.

The Vehicle Monitoring Systems will assist in examining vehicles entering the port, while the isotope identifiers and survey meters will support the detection and assessment of radioactive materials. Together, the systems are intended to improve the port’s ability to identify potential radiological risks during the movement of cargo and vehicles.

PPA deputy chairperson T Venugopal unveiled the system in the presence of G Dhananjaya, assistant general manager and head of the radiological instrumentation division at ECIL. Chief mechanical engineer Susil Chandra Nahak, heads of various PPA departments and senior ECIL officials also attended the event. The installation adds specialised detection capability to the port’s existing security infrastructure.