New regulations have been proposed to mitigate the risk of sea container pest contamination, with likely implications for movers. Business Intelligence Manager Marie-Pascale Frix details FIDI’s new resource page and what businesses can do now to prepare themselves for possible changes ahead
The problem posed by invasive species in international shipments is a threat that is taken very seriously by governments and shipping authorities across the world.
As national and international regulators are considering legislating against this threat globally, FIDI and the IAM are keeping an eye on what these new rules will mean for movers – see the FIDI Focus online article and the joint statement, published on 8 December 2021.
See www.fidifocus.org/news/fidi-issues-statement-on-detrimental-phytosanitary-proposals
In this global fight against contamination, every player across the international sea container supply chain has a role to play, including the international removal industry.
As the risk for pests to contaminate containers and their cargo is greatest at the location of packing and unpacking, how can movers help mitigate this risk effectively?
FIDI has published a special resource page on FIDINET, available to all FIDI Affiliates, with more information, best practices and videos on the topic. See: fidinet.fidi.org/resource-pages/pest-contamination
Here is a summary of the actions recommended:
1.
Raise awareness of this important topic among your operational teams and supply chain.
2.
Review your internal prevention measures in regards to container cleanliness by taking into consideration national regulations as well as codes of practice issued by international authorities (see diagrams).
3.
Know what to do when faced with a contaminated container, as per the FIDI Professional Cooperation Guidelines (see sections D, H4 and H5).
By applying these best practices, you will also ultimately facilitate the movement of your containers, reducing the risk of quarantined goods (and delayed cargo release) and unexpected costs, not to mention potentially re-exporting the pest invasion back to its origin.
It is crucial to understand that the threat of pest contamination by sea container will remain high on the agenda of national and international instances; we strongly believe that cross-industry discussions are crucial to safeguard every stakeholders’ interests. With this in mind, FIDI and IAM are in communication with the Global Shippers’ Forum and continuing to monitor the situation closely.
For more information, contact Marie-Pascale Frix at marie-pascale.frix@fidi.org
