Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) has received extensive feedback from members in relation to document assessment (three to seven days) and lengthy delays (in many instances, several weeks) in inspection booking responses and next available inspection times by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (the department).
As a result, recent feedback indicates that in addition to exorbitant container detention fees being paid to shipping lines for failing to return empty containers to nominated facilities within prescribed timeframes, high storage charges are being applied by terminals and depots until cargo is released by the department.
This outcome is particularly alarming as it has occurred during a period that is typically regarded as ‘off peak’ in the lead up to the Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) seasonal measures commencing 1 September 2022.
In the interim, in order to provide some visibility of the problem, FTA has been providing regular member updates, formal submissions (including to the Productivity Commission review of Australia’s Maritime Logistics Systems – recommendation 7) and media commentaries in relation to the ongoing challenges being faced by industry when having cargo assessed or inspected by the department.