Hong Kong, BMSB and GRI Increases

19/8/2019

Dear Valued Clients,

Please see below important notifications received.

Hong Kong International Airport

All flights into and out of Hong Kong were cancelled by the Hong Kong Airport Authority on Monday until Wednesday morning, August 14, due to the occupation of the airport by protesters. Thousands of protesters descended on Hong Kong’s international airport, with sit-ins taking place at both terminals. 

Cargo-exclusive flights were not affected by the closure, but more than 200 passenger flights were cancelled, delaying thousands of tons of belly cargo. 

BR International is in contact with our partners and have received information that flights are resuming, but delays may continue dependent upon cargo volumes and time needed to resume back to normal operations. We will continue to monitor all air shipments flowing through Hong Kong and addressing any issues with clients directly. Hong Kong airport saw its throughput pass the 5-million-ton mark for the first time in 2018, handling 5.62 million US tons (5.12 million tonnes). 

2019/2020 Brown Marmorated Stink Bug – New Zealand

Advice to importers and exporters of vehicles, machinery, and parts from Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) risk countries, and sea containers from Italy.  

On the 22nd of July 2019, the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) released new versions of the Import Health Standard for Vehicles, Machinery and Parts and the Import Health Standard for Sea Containers from All Countries.

Both Standards include major requirement changes for importing goods to New Zealand during the risk season (September to April) from BMSB risk countries. It is important for you as importers and exporters to know the changes before shipping to New Zealand.  

Importing new or used vehicles, machinery and parts to New Zealand  

What you need to know:

• There have been 16 additional BMSB risk countries added to Schedule 3 – ‘Actionable countries for the management of BMSB.’ This takes the total number of countries being managed by MPI for BMSB risk to 33.  

• You must treat break-bulk and containerised goods before they arrive in New Zealand.

• The treatment must be carried out by an MPI-Approved Offshore Treatment Provider. The list of providers is jointly maintained by MPI and the Department of Agriculture in Australia and found on both websites.

• All importers and exporters should familiarise themselves with the new standard when importing any vehicles, machinery or parts from any country, at any time of the year.

New countries (in red) have been added to Schedule 3 for BMSB management of New or used vehicles, machinery and parts

Albania; France; Montenegro; Andorra; Georgia; Netherlands; Armenia; Germany; Romania; Austria; Greece; Russia; Azerbaijan; Hungary; Serbia; Belgium; Italy; Slovakia; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria
Kosovo; Spain; Canada; Liechtenstein; Switzerland; Croatia; Luxemburg; Turkey; Czech Republic; Macedonia; USA

Japan (was managed for BMSB last year but not termed a schedule 3 country)-endemic; Slovenia

 Importing sea containers from Italy to New Zealand

What you need to know:  

• You must treat all sea containers and cargo from Italy before they arrive in New Zealand.  

• The treatment must be carried out by an MPI-Approved Offshore Treatment Provider.

• MPI has a treatment exemption for containerised cargo from Italy that is considered to be sensitive. Information on sensitive cargo can be found at the following link: Risk goods and cargo considered sensitive to treatment

Contact MPI  

If you have any questions around BMSB management requirements for vehicles, machinery and parts, or management of your sea container from Italy please email BMSB@mpi.govt.nz.

Treatment providers that were previously registered under the scheme during the 2018-2019 BMSB season are approved in the interim by MPI for the beginning of the 2019–2020 BMSB season for New Zealand only.

This interim approval is granted until such time as the full list of treatment providers is finalised for the entire 2019–2020 BMSB season.

Note updated list as below for ITALY please

Treatment Provider List

Until the 19/20 treatment provider list is fully finalised, MPI will use both the 18/19 and the 19/20 list. The 18/19 list will be treated as interim document to allow treatment companies time enough to reapply for inclusion on the 19/20 list.

MPI expects this list to be finalised by October 2019, up until this point any company can be used from both lists. Once finalised MPI will still recognise treatments conducted prior to the interim 18/19 list being removed – notices will be sent out prior to the list being revoked.

Note this only applies for commodities being sent to New Zealand.

At this stage the costs/timeline involved in offshore treatment is still to be confirmed and we will update you further once we have more information to hand.

GRI Increases for September 2019

Past week or so has again seen the liners indicating GRI’s of USD300 per TEU on cargo Asia to New Zealand effective of 1st September 2019. With vessels currently sailing full on the back of Peak Season, we believe these will be applied if only in part up to the levels indicated. It is BRI’s policy that any GRI/RR/ PSS is passed onto our clients as disbursed and will be confirmed once the quantum’s are finalised accordingly.

 

Keeping You Informed!

BR International 

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