Expertise, commitment, and embracing the societal benefits of nuclear technology

Contact us to schedule a free 30-minute consultation to discuss your needs: asw@asw-usa.com

About ASW

ASW Nuclear Energy Consultancy

Our mission is to provide expert technical consultant support in the areas of transport of radioactive and nuclear materials, radiation protection, mining, food irradiation, nuclear medicine, waste management, and developing applications for artificial intelligence, in the nuclear, industrial, medical, and government sectors.

Our aim is to provide you with the professional support of experts who have the knowledge and expertise of working for decades in the national and international markets.

Our experts are based in USA, Europe, and Latin America each with experience in one or more roles as an operator, regulator, researcher, teacher, or trainer, in the nuclear, industrial, and medical sectors, in areas involving nuclear and radioactive material.

Contact us to discuss your needs to see if we can be of service to you.

Explore our Services

01

Transportation

Package Design Review

The requirements of IAEA SSR-6 (Rev.1) regulations are globally applied for the transport of radioactive material by air and sea modes. For transport by land modes (road and rail) there are no global regulations and Member States of the IAEA are responsible for developing and enacting national transport safety regulations that are compliant with IAEA SSR-6 (Rev.1).

ASW can provide peer review of transport package designs to verify compliance with IAEA transport safety requirements IAEA SSR-6 (Rev.1). [1]

[1] IAEA SSR-6 (Rev. 2) expected publication date early 2026

Inspections and Compliance Assurance

ASW can provide technical support to review a management system to verify it relates to all activities within the scope of activities as defined in the Transport Regulations, to ensure compliance with the relevant provisions.

SMRs and Transportable Reactors

The energy supply needs of the world will continue to increase due to the growth in the world's population and economies, coupled with rapid urbanization, the increasing number of electric vehicles, and the increased use of artificial intelligence with its associated significant levels of energy required for its data centres.

The increasing energy demand will be met in shorter timescales by the deployment of SMR modules (factory manufactured, fuelled, and delivered), and transportable reactors. This will require the development and revision of international and national transport safety and security regulatory infrastructures, and the development of public engagement strategies to provide the necessary reassurances about the safety of this emerging transport sector.

ASW can provide technical support in these areas of work.

02

Waste Management

Conditioning and Packaging Selection

The conditioning of waste and the selection of the appropriate package type to ensure compliance with the transport safety regulations.

Storage and Transport

Consideration of the storage conditions (Safety and Security) and the impact on compliance with the transport regulations after long-term storage.

Waste Strategy

The development / review of waste strategies to assist in their continued sustainability.

03

Radiation Protection

Radiation protection or radiological protection, is defined by the International Atomic Energy (IAEA) as: “The protection of people from harmful effects of exposure to ionizing radiation, and the means for achieving this”

ASW can provide technical support in radiation protection the areas including:

Preparation / Review of Radiation Protection Programmes (RPP)

Review Management Arrangements

Review of Safety and Security Arrangements

For the protection of:

- Radiation workers and members of the public

- Patients undergoing radiation diagnosis and therapy

During the use of radiation and radioactive materials in various applications.

04

Services to Public Bodies

Consultancy

Remote or on-site consultancy services

Training

Remote or on-site in areas including:

Public Awareness
Emergency responders
Radiation Protection Supervisors
Border Control Officers
Police
Security personnel
Hospitals
Government Officials

05

Artificial Intelligence

Working in collaboration with a company that has experience and expertise in AI, we are also able to offer bespoke applications to suit your business needs and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of your business processes.

06

Training

ASW can provide bespoke training in areas relating transport activities:

Transport Safety and Security Requirements and Radiation Protection

Package Design Safety Reports (PDSR)

Transport Security Plans

Radiation Protection Programmes (RPP)

Management Systems

Inspections (Safety, Security)

Our Founders

More than 40 years of international experience in the nuclear transport sector.

1980 - 2004 worked in industry on the design and development of a new BWR spent fuel cask design responsible for the PDSR, submission for UK competent authority design approval, and subsequent European validations. Later responsible for the PDSRs and submissions for design approval for a fleet of PWR and BWR spent fuel casks operating in Europe, delivering spent fuel to France and UK, and MOX fuel to Japan.

2004 - 2013 joined the UK Competent Authority, was a member of the UK government decommissioning, waste strategy, and Plutonium working groups.

Served for two terms as Chairman of the European Association of Transport Safety Competent Authorities (23 European States).

2013 - 2022 Head of the Transport Safety Unit in IAEA and was the scientific secretary of the Transport Safety Standards Committee (TRANSSC). Responsible for the ongoing management of IAEA SSR-6 transport regulations and associated safety guides, transport regulator capacity building in IAEA Member States, and the conception and development of the IAEA transport safety e-learning platform.

Stephen Whittingham

Director

With over 40 years’ experience in radiation protection, transport safety and transport security.

1970 – 1996 worked in the Institute of Energy and Nuclear Research (IPEN) in 1970 graduating with a BSc in Physics in 1972 from the Mackenzie University (Sao Paulo) and a MSc in Nuclear Engineering and Technology in 1976 from the University of Sao Paulo. In a 26 years career at IPEN she was appointed the Head of Department (Radiation Protection), and subsequently Director of Safety and Security.

In 1996 Adelia left IPEN and became a founding Director of Atomo Radioproteção e Segurança Nuclear (ATOMO) Ltda working in sectors of her expertise in the industrial, mining, medical, and research sectors, in areas of training, safety culture, e-learning, optimization, mining, transport of radioactive material, and response to radiological emergencies.