18/04/2011 (Agence Europe) - EU increases level of alert on radioactivity checks on vessels from Japan. Following the nuclear accident in the Fukusima Daiichi power station, radioactivity levels of vessels from Japan will be checked on arrival and also on departure to “exclude any risk, even if it is a very small one, for the safety of the workers in the harbours”, promised Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger on 15 April. The Commission has decided to raise the tolerance threshold of natural level of radiation from 0.1 to 0.2 microsieverts. Several vessels from Japan are due to arrive in EU ports this week. If any vessel is found to be contaminated, it will have to be washed down and workers will have to be protected. The authorities of the member state where a vessel has been found to have a higher than acceptable radioactivity level must inform the Commission and the other member states. (E.H./transl.rt)