Mining giant Cameco is working with federal officials to deal with the cleanup of uranium concentrate in the cargo hold of a ship.

MCP Altona, a cargo ship, left Vancouver on Dec. 23 carrying Cameco's uranium concentrate and encountered severe weather conditions en route to China.

On Jan. 3, Cameco (TSX:CCO) was notified that sea containers loaded with drums filled with uranium concentrate had shifted and there were two opened drums.

Cameco spokesman Rob Gereghty (gare-ih-tee) says they checked out the affected part of the cargo hold after the ship returned to port in Ladysmith, B.C., on Sunday.

He says the next step is to work with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission and Transport Canada on a remediation plan.

Gereghty says uranium concentrate is similar to other industrial chemicals and the risks of exposure to radiation and chemicals are low.

Once the ship is cleaned up, the load will be taken back to Cameco's Key Lake mine in northern Saskatchewan, where all the drums will be checked over.

(CJWW, The Canadian Press)