Indonesia’s Shrimp Shipments Pass U.S. Cesium-137 Inspection: Ministry

Jakarta: The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) confirmed that two containers of Indonesian shrimp exports certified free of radioactive Cesium-137 (Cs-137) have arrived in the United States and passed inspection.

“On December 9, the first containers arrived with certificates confirming they were free of Cesium-137. Two containers have entered, passed inspections, and the results have now been released,” said Head of the Marine and Fisheries Products Quality Control and Supervision Agency, Ishartini, at a press conference on Thursday.

She added that another 640 containers of shrimp, also certified as Cs-137-free, were shipped to the United States between October 31 and December 10.

“We hope the remaining 640 containers will proceed without further inspections, as the United States now trusts Indonesia to complete the certification process domestically,” she said, quoted from Antara on Friday, 12 December 2025.

The KKP has been designated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as the Certifying Entity (CE). As a result, all Indonesian shrimp exports to the United States must be accompanied by a certificate confirming they are free of Cesium-137, issued by the Marine and Fisheries Products Quality Control and Supervision Agency.

“Thankfully, since October 31 we have been able to resume shrimp exports to the United States,” Ishartini added.

The ministry began sending certified shrimp shipments to the United States following the first certified release from Tanjung Priok Port on October 31. Certification and verification procedures have been established in accordance with FDA requirements under Import Alert 99-52.

The Cs-137 certification system was developed in coordination with the Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (BAPETEN) and the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN).

The process includes scanning and testing at key points in the shrimp production chain, particularly in Java and Lampung, to ensure all exports are free from radioactive contamination.