It also starts with an intriguing hook but ends like a damp squid. I looked at the bottom thinking "oh great I have another three more pages to endure before finding out why the rod was there" and then realised that was it.
I actually found that part pretty interesting, but admittedly it depends on what you already know and what you were hoping to get out of this article. To me, the radiation-disposal incident served as a nice set-up to explain the interlocking networks of containerized shipping and security, which aren't normally on my radar (I know all that exists, I just know nothing about it). I'll admit that if you approach it as a pure whodunnit, it's got a ton of padding and could be summarized in a paragraph or two.
I suppose they didn't want to hold off on publishing it for another several months until the investigators in Leipzig came to a conclusion as to its origin and reason for being in that container.
I'll get voted down for this but what the hell