Since 1965 the series of International Symposia (named “PATRAM” since 1980) brings together worldwide experts from government, industry and research institutes to exchange information and ideas on technical, scientific and regulatory developments on all aspects of safe packaging and transport of radioactive materials.

Parallel to the elaboration of the first IAEA Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Materials (issued 1967) the US Department of Energy initiated the “First International Symposium on the Packaging and Transportation of Radioactive Materials “ which was held in Albuquerque, N.M., USA, in January 1965, hosted by Sandia National Laboratories.

The following four International Symposia took place in the United States of America:

• 2nd International Symposium in Gatlinburg, Ten., USA (October 1968)
• 3rd International Symposium in Richland, Wash., USA (August 1971)
• 4th International Symposium in Miami Beach, Fl., USA (September 1974)
• 5th International Symposium in Las Vegas, Nev., USA (May 1978)

 
With the sixth conference, the first one held outside the USA, the acronym PATRAM was introduced as the conference title. This “6th International Symposium on the Packaging and Transportation of Radioactive Materials – PATRAM ’80 “ was hosted by the German Federal Institute for Materials Testing (BAM) in Berlin, Germany, November 1980.

Since then PATRAM has taken place every three years alternatively in the United States and elsewhere:

• 7th PATRAM in New Orleans, La., USA (May 1983)
• 8th PATRAM in Davos, Switzerland (June 1986)
• 9th PATRAM in Washington DC, USA (June 1989)
• 10th PATRAM ’92 in Yokohama City, Japan (September 1992)
• 11th PATRAM ’95 in Las Vegas, Nev., USA (December 1995)
• 12th PATRAM ’98 in Paris, France (May 1998)
• 13th PATRAM 2001 in Chicago, Il., USA (September 2001)
• 14th PATRAM 2004 in Berlin, Germany (September 2004)
• 15th PATRAM 2007 in Miami, Fl., USA (October 2007)

Since 1986 the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been an important co-sponsor of the PATRAM conferences.

At the Yokohama 1992 conference the PATRAM Aoki awards for distinguished presentations were introduced.  The Aoki awards are named after Dr. Shigembumi Aoki who was then a Professor Emeritus of the Tokyo Institute of Technology.

The PATRAM records suggest that there is only one person who has participated in all PATRAM conferences up to now: Mr. Larry B. Shappert, who worked at the Oak Ridge National Laboratories in the USA.



With the 16th PATRAM 2010 in London, the United Kingdom will host all people interested and involved in the safe handling and transportation of radioactive materials – looking to the future.

Bernhard Droste                                                          
Berlin, 03 December 2008