Executive summary
Date(s) of inspection
- May 2026
Aim of inspection
The purpose of the inspection is to review compliance of the dutyholder arrangements for the transport of class 7 dangerous goods by road, including the contracting of transport related services.
Subject(s) of inspection
- Transport - Management Systems - Rating: Not rated
Key findings, inspector's opinions and reasons for judgement made
The ONR pre-inspection questionnaire, completed by the dutyholder, indicated that DFDS Seaways PLC acts as a carrier by rail. However, at the time of the inspection it was clarified that it is not currently undertaking radioactive material transport activities at Immingham Dock for which the ONR is the enforcing authority, therefore I have not reviewed its arrangements in detail.
DFDS Seaways PLC operates freight only vessels (ferries) with the majority of the freight being unaccompanied. However, consignments of class 7 dangerous goods are always driver-accompanied (self-drive, roll-on roll-off) and are undertaken by external carrier organisations, not DFDS Seaways PLC personnel.
DFDS Seaways PLC has previously performed, and may again in the future, the role of loader/unloader for Class 7 international consignments to/from sites in GB. The supply chain arrangements for this activity were not reviewed due to the time elapsed since the last consignment (several years).
I provided regulatory advice to DFDS Seaways PLC, should they choose to perform the role of loader/unloader again, on matters including radiation risk assessment, loader/unloader duties, radiation protection programme and management system arrangements.
The details of the regulatory advice are in the full Inspection Record (IR) which is shared with DFDS Seaways PLC.
Conclusion
The inspection findings and advice were presented to DFDS at the close of the inspection.
At the time of the inspection, it was determined that DFDS is not currently undertaking duties for which the ONR is the enforcing authority (i.e. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is the enforcing authority for carriage by sea), therefore I did not review its arrangements in detail. For this reason, I judged an overall inspection rating of ‘no rating’ was appropriate for this inspection.
As DFDS may perform the role of loader/unloader of class 7 dangerous goods at the Immingham site railhead for international consignments to or from sites in GB again, I provided regulatory advice to support DFDS should they perform this role again.