US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI3199

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 003199 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON 
DEPT FOR EAP/RSP/TC, NP/CBM, NP/ECC 
 
FROM AIT KAOHSIUNG BRANCH OFFICE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETTC, PARM, PTER, EWWT, TW, IT, Counterterrorism/Nonproliferation 
SUBJECT: Taiwan: Seized Phosphorus Pentasulfide Loaded for 
Shipment to Italian Manufacturer, Italmat Chemical, Ltd. 
 
1. (SBU) Summary.  On 28 July, 2005, AIT/K Econoff and 
Economic Assistant observed the entire process of loading 
and moving 158 barrels of phosphorus pentasulfide which had 
been held in Kaohsiung Customs impound warehouse, located 
outside Kaohsiung Harbor, since its seizure by Taiwan 
Customs from the North Korean vessel, Be Gae-hung on 13 
August 2003.  The phosphorus pentasulfide was moved to the 
Yang Ming Line export container storage yard, located at 
wharf 70 in Kaohsiung Harbor's number 3 Container Handling 
Facility, for temporary storage prior to shipment to Italy, 
via Singapore and Egypt.  The storage area is certified for 
storage of hazardous chemicals. While the overall operation 
was uneventful, AIT/K Econoff noted that one of the 158 
barrels was lacking the manufacturer's tamper seal.  End 
Summary 
 
2.  (SBU) A single forklift operator moved the sealed 
barrels from the Customs warehouse and loaded them into two 
20-foot containers, with each container carrying 79 barrels. 
The two containers then were locked and sealed by Taiwan 
Customs officials.   The containers were loaded by crane 
onto trucks and moved back to YML's container yard.  The 
processing began at 1:00 pm and lasted until 7:00 pm.  AIT/K 
staff observed the entire process from the opening of the 
warehouse to the final placement in Yang Ming's wharf 70 
storage yard.  Also present throughout the process were 
officials from Taiwan's Bureau of Foreign Trade, 
Environmental Protection and Customs offices and senior 
staff from Yang Ming Line. 
 
3.  (SBU) During the loading phase, AIT/K Econoff noted 
that, while all barrels were still sealed with a barrel 
ring, one of the barrels was missing the manufacturer's 
tamper seal.  Kaohsiung Customs officials said it must have 
been knocked off during handling. The seal could not be 
found in the holding area. 
 
4.  (SBU) According to YML executive, its vessel, the YM 
Plum, will transport the cargo as far as Singapore.  It is 
scheduled to leave Kaohsiung Port on August 2 and arrive 
Singapore on August 5, where it will be transloaded to a 
vessel operated by Asian Mediterranean Shuttle Service 
(AMS), departing on 8 August.   According to Yang Ming, all 
necessary clearances from the Singapore Government have been 
requested and received.  It is scheduled to arrive in Port 
Said, Egypt on August 20.  The cargo will remain on the AMS 
vessel for onward transit to Livorno, Italy via Genoa, 
Italy.  It will depart Port Said on 21 August, transit 
Genoa, Italy on August 24th and 25th and arrive Livorno, 
Italy on the 26th of August.  It will be delivered to the 
original manufacturer, Italmat Chemical Limited, in Livorno 
and then transported overland to the factory.  (Comment: 
Yang Ming had no information on any interim destinations 
between Port Said and Genoa, but three days seems a long 
time for the passage.  End comment.) Yang Ming had 
originally requested clearance from Italy to ship via 
Naples, but Italy refused permission to use Naples, citing 
terrorism concerns. 
 
5.  (SBU) Following is the shipping data for the 
consignment: 
 
  - 158 barrels of Phosphorus Pentasulfide, total weight 
     39.5 Metric Tons 
  - Container i.d. numbers YMLU 3041732 and YMLU 3073745 
  - Yang Ming Line's vessel, the YM Plum will ship the 
     cargo 
 
6.  (SBU) The entire shipping schedule is as follows: 
 
Aug 2     depart Kaohsiung Yang Ming's YM Plum 
Aug 5     arrive Singapore 
Aug 8     depart Singapore on Asian Mediterranean Shuttle 
          vessel AMS Glory Bridge 
Aug 20    arrive Port Said, Egypt 
Aug 21    depart Port Said, Egypt on AMS Glory Bridge 
Aug 24    arrive Genoa, Italy 
Aug 25    depart Genoa, on AMS Glory Bridge 
Aug 26    Livorno, Italy with shipment by ground transport 
          to Italmat Chemical's facility. 
 
 
7.  (SBU) AIT/K staff will observe the loading of the 
containers onto the YM Plum on 2 August.  AIT/K took 
numerous photographs of the entire loading and movement 
operation, and will forward the photos to AIT/T for 
dissemination to interested parties. 
 
Johnson 
 
Paal