Author: GPSM

You must comply with seasonal measures for certain goods shipped between 1 September 2018 and 30 April 2019 inclusive. These measures will require mandatory offshore treatment prior to arrival if they:

are goods shipped by Sea Cargo.

are goods manufactured in, or shipped from  a Target Country.

are goods categorised as a Target high risk or Target risk good.

Treatment offshore of these goods will only be accepted under The approved offshore BMSB treatment providers scheme,  a list has been attached, goods that do not comply will be destroyed or be re-exported.

Goods from Non-target risk countries can continue to use treatment providers not on the list and will be subject to the standard onshore procedures or inspection to verify treatment.

We strongly encourage you to read the attachment’s we have provided as they provide information in detail for the upcoming measures for the BMSB season 2018-19. Bio Securities compliance is incumbent upon all importers to ensure they have taken the necessary steps before importing any cargo.

BMSB Approved list of offshore treatment providers

 

BMSB Preparing to import during the BMSB season 2018 -2019

BMSB Target risk countries , goods, and offshore treatments

Further to previous emails regarding CoR please find below link a copy of the GPSM 4 point container loading declaration. As we have explained, this needs to be passed onto all your international suppliers ASAP asking for their co-operation as part of your/our compliance with the new laws coming 1/10/18. We would like to aim to have this completed declaration available for all containers loaded after 1/9/18. This will mean we will be in good shape as the 1/10/18 grows closer.

GPSM will also be distributing this to all overseas agents asking for their assistance in requesting the same from your suppliers.

This completed Declaration will also be required to be completed on all export FCL shipments booked with GPSM.

Please let us know how you go and if you have any questions.

A bit of background for you….

See no evil

A container will move through many hands on its journey from origin to destination. Usually, a container is sealed prior to departure and not opened until it reaches its destination. During its journey, a container is a black box. Intermediate contractors in the heavy vehicle supply chain that are handling or transporting a container usually have zero actual visibility over what is going on inside it. As a result, the transport of containers poses significant risks of mass and load restraint breaches in particular. Mass breach is more likely to arise due to the unknown/unverified load distribution within a container. Load restraint breach is more likely to arise due to the unknown/unverified restraints applied to the load within a container.

Unfortunately, closing your eyes to what is inside a container will not protect you from prosecution.

How do you comply?

 Where you cannot see inside a container to determine the load distribution and sufficiency of restraint, how do you ensure your own compliance with the duty to take all reasonably practicable steps?

If you can’t independently verify compliance matters, then you need to ask your counterparts in the heavy vehicle supply chain to verify them for you. So, you will need to (i) ensure that the person(s) within the supply chain who are responsible for packing a container are aware of and understand their obligations e.g. the exporter, importer, cargo consolidator, distribution centre at which a container is packed etc and (ii) seek confirmation from them about the load distribution and sufficiency of restraint.

As always, you can’t blindly rely on that assurance in all circumstances. If you see something which suggests that the load distribution or restraint are not as you were told or not working properly (e.g. uneven load distribution showing on onboard scales or container walls bowed out, suggesting load shift within a container), then you will need to make enquiries with the person(s) responsible before handling or carrying that container.

Download

GPSM 4 point container Loading Declaration

Motorway Toll Charges:

Motorway Tolls in all capital cities have again increased over the past few months and GPSM will need to pass on these out of pocket expenses. We have absorbed these ever-increasing costs to date but in order to recoup outgoings and to continue to provide a premium service level, the toll charges will need to be reviewed.

Accordingly, all toll charges for FCL, LCL and airfreight deliveries will be updated on our website effective from 1st August 2018.

Trucking Fuel Levy:

Everyone will be well aware of the escalation in the cost of fuel in 2018, diesel fuel has increased by on average 35% since January 2018. We have conducted an internal audit on all trucking costs and can no longer continue to absorb the higher costs. We will be implementing the increased fuel levy charges from 1st August 2018.

Our current fuel levy of 10% will increase to 12.5% effective from 1st August 2018. This will be our first fuel levy adjustment since January 2015.

New seasonal measures will apply for goods shipped on or between 1 September 2018 to 30 April 2019. They can arrive in Australia on cargo and containers shipped during this time which coincides with late Autumn and winter in the Northern Hemisphere. Consequently, you must comply with these seasonal measures which will include both mandatory and increased intervention before arrival in Australia.

The expanded target risk list of countries are:

USA, ITALY, GERMANY, FRANCE, RUSSIA, GREECE, HUNGARY, ROMANIA, GEORGIA (All Target risk countries)

JAPAN (Heightened vessel surveillance only)

The Targeted High-Risk commodities and mandatory offshore fumigation

Break Bulk, including vehicles, machinery, and equipment
Bricks, tiles, ceramics, steel, stone and cement
Goods likely to be stored in a manner that provides access for BMSB  to overwinter.

Targeted risk goods that will be directed for increased onshore fumigation

Chemicals, chemical products, salt, minerals, fertilizers
Wood pulp, printed  matter, straw, paper, cardboard
Plastics, wadding, Tyres

Exempted Goods

Fresh produce ( including nursery stock and plants
Live animals
Food for human consumption ( including beverages)
Seeds for sowing
Registered Pharmaceuticals

Minimum standards for offshore BMSB treatments & treatment providers, currently the approved treatments for  BMSB are:

Sulfuryl Fluoride
Methyl Bromide
Heat treatment

The department will require all treatment providers conducting BMSB treatments in Italy & USA  to be registered with the department on an approved list of offshore treatment providers. Only these who meet the departments’ requirements will be eligible for registration.

 

The Australia Border Force (ABF) has simplified the process of Trusted Trader application.  The benefits of this scheme are listed below

• Deferral of Customs Duty  ( 21 days you must already have GST deferral to be eligible )
• A dedicated Account Manager
• Priority trade services
• Differentiated examinations
• Use of the Australian Trusted logo
• Mutual Recognition Arrangements

Attached is further information regarding deferral of Customs duty. Australia Trusted Trader is free to join and accreditation is available to all Australian businesses that are active in the international trade supply chain, and meet or exceed the required standards.

 

Download Trusted Trader Simplified

Airline Fuel Surcharge:

Airlines operating services to Australia from Hong Kong have announced another fuel surcharge increase effective from 1st July 2018.

The Fuel Surcharge will increase by another HKD 0.40/kg to HKD 2.90/kg, this is the second increase in the last 2 months. GPSM rates will be adjusted to reflect the cost increase.

Adelaide Port Infrastructure Charge:

The Port of Adelaide are introducing an Infrastructure Charge of $ 50.00 per container from 1st July 2018. The new charge will apply to all import and export containers moved via the port.

Adelaide was the only port not to introduce this charge earlier in line with all other major Australian ports. The new charge will apply to FCL and LCL cargo and will be shown separately on all GPSM shipment invoices.

Emergency Bunker Surcharge:

Just a reminder that lines from USA and Canada will implement their Emergency Bunker Surcharge effective 1st July, 2018 at a rate of USD 60.00/20ft and USD 120.00/40ft FCL.

All shipments with a departure date from 1 July will be affected and rates billed by GPSM will reflect the increased costs. This will also apply to LCL shipments, the additional cost will be USD 3.00 per cubic metre or 1000kgs.

New Service from Central and Southern China:

Three shipping lines (APL, Hyundai and Evergreen Lines) have announced they will be introducing a new joint service to Australia from North East Asia in mid-August 2018. The three partners were previously members of a larger lines consortium but have now made the decision to split from that conference and operate an independent service.

Port rotation of the new service will be Ningbo – Shanghai – Yantian – Sydney – Melbourne – Brisbane – Ningbo and will be serviced by five (5) vessels on a weekly schedule.

It is expected the new service will add an extra capacity of 3,700 TEU’s (twenty-foot equivalent containers) to the weekly southbound services.

Main Points

New Chain of Responsibility (CoR) laws commence on October 1, 2018.

All parties that have control or influence over a transport task are responsible for compliance under the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL).

Please refer to the attached CoR checklist, if you select YES in any of the checkboxes for a specific role/s, you are a party in the transport supply chain. Pretty much everyone in the supply chain will be considered liable as the checklist will indicate.

As part of this supply chain, you are legally obliged to eliminate and minimise public risks by doing everything reasonably practicable to ensure all transport related activities are safe. GPSM are already taking steps to ensure it has full compliance by the time these laws come into effect. We will continue to advise information as it comes to hand as we all need to prepare for the new Chain of Responsibility New primary Duty Laws over the next few months.

GPSM suggest as a starting point to establish your own safety management systems with regards to complying to COR:

Check with your insurers on how you might be affected by these new laws, and what your responsibilities encompass. Also check if you are covered in case of an incident as current policies may not give you coverage.

Insurers should also be a good source of information on how best to comply and protect your specific risk factors.

Penalties for noncompliance are large, and penalties may be applied to a business and individual inside the business, such as managers and executive offices.

Penalties range from $50,000 to $300,000 including imprisonment for Individuals and from $500,000 to $3m for Corporations.

You will need to Identify, assess, evaluate, and control risk.

Implement regular reporting systems, including to executive officers.

Document or record actions are taken to manage safety.

Keep an eye out for further newsletters as GPSM will continue to advise on latest developments as more information comes to hand.

As always please don’t hesitate to contact our office if you have any questions. GPSM has appointed a COR compliance officer, Rob Sullivan who will be the key liaison for all matters regarding COR.

Download COR Checklist

COR Checklist

Emergency Bunker Surcharges

Most shipping lines are implementing a new surcharge to cover the rapid cost of Bunker Oil that has risen by an average of 30% – 40% over the last few months. We have received notices from a large number of lines operating in and out of Australia to/from the USA, UK/Europe, South East Asia and Far East Asia.

Some carriers are describing the surcharge as an Emergency Bunker Surcharge, others, where their application to local authorities has been rejected, are now describing it as an Emergency Peak Season Surcharge.

The surcharge will apply to all trade lanes and will be implemented on 1st June 2018, from the information we have to hand at present, with some lines still to decide on their future action, the notified increments are generally around USD 60.00/20ft container and USD 100.00/40ft container, however we have seen one line with a surcharge of USD 75.00/20ft container and USD 150.00/40ft container.

Consolidators have not yet announced a level of charge, however, we believe it will be approximately USD 3.00-USD 4.00 per cbm/1000kgs.

We regret the need to increase costs however the decision is out of GPSM’s hands and is being applied by all shipping line to both contract and non-contract cargoes.

Airline Fuel Surcharge

Airlines operating from Hong Kong to Australia have advised they will increase the Airline Fuel Surcharge from 1st June 2018 from HKD 2.10/kg to HKD 2.60/kg until further notice.

GPSM web rates will be updated to reflect the latest cost increase.

Qingdao Port Closure

China’s Central Government in Beijing has announced that trucks will be banned from entering Qingdao port from June 9th to June 10th inclusive while the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation) summit is taking place in Qingdao. The summit will be chaired by Chinese President Xi Jinping and will include observer states and many international visitors. This may lead to shipment delays, our Customer Service Team will keep all clients affected fully informed of any shipment detail changes.

China Customs has released Order No.56 [2017] to adjust the advanced manifest regulations. The adjustments will be effective as of 1st June 2018.

We were originally advised by numerous shipping lines and airlines that this information was only required for shipments into China, however further clarification with China Customs has resulted in us being advised that the new requirements (listed below) will also be required for all exports from China to all worldwide destinations including any shipments transiting any China port.

The following information will need to be supplied to China Customs prior to cargo being Customs cleared for export from China, our Customer Service Team may require you assistance in sourcing this information, please assist them where possible to ensure your shipments are not delayed departing from China:

1. Consignor’s company code (Mandatory): used for the customs clearance

2. Consignor’s phone number (Mandatory): used for the customs clearance

3. Consignor’s AEO code (Optional): AEO is Authorized Economic Operator (Europe only)

4. Consignee’s company name (Mandatory): used for the customs clearance

5. Consignee’s company code (Mandatory if Consignee is not “TO ORDER”) – Australian Business Number-ABN

6. Consignee’s phone number (Mandatory if Consignee is not “TO ORDER”)

7. Name of contact person for Consignee (Mandatory if Consignee is not “TO ORDER”)

8. Phone number of contact person for consignee (Mandatory if Consignee is not “TO ORDER”)

9. Consignee’s AEO code (Optional): AEO is Authorized Economic Operator (Europe only)

10. Notify Party’s company code (Mandatory if Consignee is “TO ORDER”) – Australian Business Number-ABN

11. Notify Party’s phone number (Mandatory if Consignee is “TO ORDER”)

12. Consignee’s company address (Mandatory): used for the customs clearance.

13. Consignee’s email address (Mandatory): used for the customs clearance

14. Consignee’s country code (Mandatory): such as  AU SYD. (used for the customs clearance)

Our China agents will be able to source all the shipper information directly from your suppliers, only items 4-8 and 10-14 (where applicable) will need to be supplied by GPSM for each and every shipment exported from any China port from 1st June 2018.

Dear Clients,

We have just received notification of Industrial Action at all Sydney port Container Terminals on Tuesday 29th May as follows:

HUTCHISON TERMINAL PORT BOTANY

Please be advised there will be a terminal closure on the 29th May from 09:00 am – 2:00 pm.

Extra slots will be allocated to allow for the outage.

PATRICK TERMINAL PORT BOTANY

Please note there will be a 4-hour MUA Stop Work Meeting next Tuesday 29th May. Consequently, time zones from 09:00 am to 2:00 pm inclusive will be closed with Yard Operations resuming from 3:00 pm.

DP WORLD TERMINAL PORT BOTANY

Sydney update: terminal stoppage Tuesday 29 May 2018

Please note a stoppage will take place at our Sydney Terminal from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm, Tuesday 29 May 2018.

All terminal operations will cease during this period.

Our Transport Team will be in direct contact with clients affected by the above stoppage to reschedule all deliveries.