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NEWS (click on a title for more)
NZ Customs Border Charges Review - June 06
Container Quarantine Declaration Form - May 06
Wood Packaging Imported into NZ - May 06
Trade Agreements - May 06
Export Phytosanitary Standards - May 06
MAF Charges for Non Risk Goods - Jan 05
MAF Electronic Container Clearances Dec 04
Gypsy Moth Levy Nov 04
MAF IMport Sea Containers - July 04
Customs Exports - July 04
Trans Tasman Shipping - July 04
NEW EXPORT SECURITY MEASURES - FEB 04
NZ Customs Border Charges Review - June 06
New Zealand Customs have recently undertaken a review of Border Charges/Cost Recovery.
As a result of this review it has been announced that the Government will continue to part-fund the costs of assuring the security of New Zealands exports for the next two years.
At the end of the two years, exporters will be required to meet the cost of the tighter security controls through increased fees.
The funding arrangements for all other goods clearance classes covered by the review will remain unchanged and clearance fees for these services will remain at their present levels.
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Container Quarantine Declaration Form - May 06
As a result of New Zealands adoption of the International Phytosanitary Standard for Wood Packaging - ISPM15 the Quarantine Declaration for Sea Containers imported into NZ has been revised.
The May 06 revised Declaration form can be found on the following website www.maf.govt.nz
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Wood Packaging Imported into NZ - May 06
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) have announced that the Import Health Standard for Wood Packaging Material from All Countries has been revised.
The Standard covers all forms of wood used as packaging and or dunnage when used in relation to goods imported into New Zealand.
The revised Standard will come into force on 1 May 2006 however the enforcement of the revised Standard will be phased in over two months. From 1 July 2006 the Standard will be fully enforced.
Details of the Standard can be found on the MAF website at www.biosecurity.govt.nz
In summary, wood packaging is defined as wood or wood products used in material supporting, protecting or carrying a commodity (includes dunnage). This includes items such as dunnage, crates, fillets, spacers, pallets, drums, reels, gluts etc. Thin wood being 6mm or less in thickness is exempt.
Wood packaging made wholly from manufactured board eg plywood, fibreboard, particleboard, veneer and chip board is regulated under the Import Health Standard Wooden Panels from All Countries.
From 1 May 2006 ALL wood packaging MUST be treated according to ISPM15 standards and marked accordingly.
An initial phase in period will apply for two months but from 1 JULY 2006 the standard will be fully enforced.
After 1 July any untreated or uncertified wood packaging found will be treated, destroyed, or refused entry, REGARDLESS of whether pests are found and this will be at the importers expense.
You should immediately notify your suppliers of this wood packaging requirement and the need to have all wood packaging treated to ISPM15 standards.
It is our advice that you should also require a certificate from your supplier to confirm that they have treated the wood packaging to the required ISPM15 standard. If the wood packaging is not ISPM15 treated and branded then the wood packaging will need to be accompanied by a Phytosanitary Certificate detailing an approved treatment.
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Trade Agreements - May 06
The latest Government trade agreement to come into force is applicable to traders between New Zealand, Brunei Darussalam, Chile and Singapore. The trade agreement is referred to as the Trans-Pacific Economic Partnership Agreement.
The Agreement came into force on 1 May 2006. On that date New Zealand and Singapore will implement the Agreement while the other participants, Brunei Darussalam and Chile, are expected to implement the Agreement at a later date.
Specific Rules of Origin apply under this agreement in order to be able to access preferential duty rates as well as there being a requirement for a specific Certificate of Origin.
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Export Phytosanitary Standards - May 06
Biosecurity NZ have recently been reviewing the export phytosanitary standards applicable to plant and forestry exports.
Phytosanitary standards are imposed to ensure export products meet the requirements of overseas countries and also confirm the quality and integrity of product exported from New Zealand.
At present the existing standards are separate for plants and forestry. The current review involves combining the standards applicable to both. As a result of combining the standards there will also be a greater emphasis placed on monitoring by the organisations concerned.
Each organisation will be required to submit a systems policy and organisational structure despite any existing approvals for phytosanitary inspection or treatment. The new standard is expected to be implemented on 1 June 2006 and organisations will need to have their systems plan completed and audited by their Independent Verification Agency (IVA) before 1 Sept 2007. Any organisation that does not have an approved system plan by 1 Sept 2007 will not be able to undertake any phytosanitary inspection or treatment.
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MAF Charges for Non Risk Goods - Jan 05
All import cargo manifests are inspected by MAF where upon they determine items that may be of a risk nature. MAF have not previously charged for goods where it has they have been satisfied that the goods are not of a risk nature.
MAF have now decreed that in all instances where they stop shipments to determine there risk status there will now be a charge for release of these goods whether or not they are at risk or not.
It is therefore important that accurate and adequate cargo descriptions are provided on bills of lading and manifests. For example descriptions for auto parts should distinguish as new auto parts or used auto parts. Same for machinery and machinery parts.
When initiating letters of credit importers should take due care to the description of cargo required.
Should you require further assistance on this please dont hesitate to contact us.
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MAF Electronic Container Clearances Dec 04
Throughout 2004 we have battled with a bureaucratic paper system to obtain MAF release on all import sea containers arriving in NZ.
MAF have now initiated electronic clearances and whilst these have been trialed at some ports it is now live at all New Zealand ports.
The electronic clearance process is particularly applicable to the lodgement of all electronic Customs clearances.
The particular change relevant to all Transition Facility operators is that there will no longer be a Biosecurity Clearance Authority Certificate (BACC) unless the container containers risk goods . For the majority of containers with non risk goods no BACC will be issued. When completing Transition Facility Log Sheet the the BACC number will still need to be used for risk goods otherwise reference to the container number is all that will be required.
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Gypsy Moth Levy Nov 04
MAF have introduced an Asian Gypsy Moth levy applicable to all containers and all used motor vehicles. The levy amount is NZ$0.65 per unit. In the case of containers the charge will be levied to the respective shipping line. In the case of vehicles the levy will be added to and collected with other MAF inspection charges.
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MAF IMport Sea Containers - July 04
In earlier issues we have advised on the MAF Sea Container Health Standard as it relates to all import sea containers.
Whilst the process of obtaining clearances to move containers ex wharf has improved in the time taken to obtain such clearance it is still a very real paper war involving considerable people/paper resources to process.
MAF are working with NZ Customs to develop a system that will electronically assess biosecurity risk. The system will involve MAF using the Customs computer system to assess the risk of import containers with data then being transferred to MAFs computer system. This should hopefully be a major improvement on what we have at present and will be interesting to see how these two Border agencies will co-operate together.
From 1 July MAF have advised that they will be fully enforcing the new Health Standard so importers are reminded that it will be essential to have complete documentation ie Container Quarantine Declaration, before any containers will be permitted to leave the discharge wharf. Failure to comply will result in an on wharf six sided inspection and a supervised devan at a Transition Facility. The substantial cost for these inspections will be the responsibility of the importer.
Some Shipping Lines have been permitted to move containers to alternate inland destinations however this practice will be discontinued. All containers must be issued with a Biosecurity Clearance BEFORE they can be moved from the discharge wharf.
From 1 July MAF advise that training of MAF Accredited Persons will be undertaken by an independent provider and will no longer be provided free of charge .
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Customs Exports - July 04
On 1 March NZ Customs introduced new Export Security Measures.
With the co-operation of Exporters, Shipping Lines, Airlines, Freight Forwarders and NZ Customs, the implementation has gone very well. NZ Customs should be commended for their pro-active approach in making sure the New Systems were implemented with the least amount of trouble in order to achieve the desired end result. (Pity other Govt Departments wouldnt take a leaf from the Customs book)
Whilst the implementation has gone well the procedures engaged at some ports were not the most helpful but gladly we are pleased to report that in discussion with the Ports concerned there have been some improvements introduced.
Whilst Customs have been quick to point out to Exporters/Brokers the recurring problems, there seems to be little acceptance of the problems still evident between Customs and the Ports. Too many times we have been asked to resend delivery orders that for some reason have not been transmitted between Customs and the Port. At some ports there is public access to information to check that the appropriate delivery order is in place and this is certainly most helpful but it should not be necessary to have to continually confirm that the system is working and act where it is evident it has not.
For Exporters the next stage of the Customs Export measures are yet to bite, ie audits, inspections etc. It is not therefore the time for Exporters to relax but rather to be even more determined in policies and processes when preparing shipments for export. Remember the Customs deadline is for export entries to be lodged NO later than 48 hours before loading. Port Companies and Shipping companies may have different deadlines for their own respective handling and these deadlines also need to be taken account of.
Because of the significance of these time deadlines we are, at Advance International, now monitoring twice daily the arrival times and dates of the vessels that we have cargo booked on or vessels where clients have advised us in advance of their export bookings.
Whilst the implementation has gone well the procedures engaged at some ports were not the most helpful but gladly we are pleased to report that in discussion with the Ports concerned there have been some improvements introduced.
Whilst Customs have been quick to point out to Exporters/Brokers the recurring problems, there seems to be little acceptance of the problems still evident between Customs and the Ports. Too many times we have been asked to resend delivery orders that for some reason have not been transmitted between Customs and the Port. At some ports there is public access to information to check that the appropriate delivery order is in place and this is certainly most helpful but it should not be necessary to have to continually confirm that the system is working and act where it is evident it has not.
For Exporters the next stage of the Customs Export measures are yet to bite, ie audits, inspections etc. It is not therefore the time for Exporters to relax but rather to be even more determined in policies and processes when preparing shipments for export. Remember the Customs deadline is for export entries to be lodged NO later than 48 hours before loading. Port Companies and Shipping companies may have different deadlines for their own respective handling and these deadlines also need to be taken account of.
Because of the significance of these time deadlines we are, at Advance International, now monitoring twice daily the arrival times and dates of the vessels that we have cargo booked on or vessels where clients have advised us in advance of their export bookings.
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Trans Tasman Shipping - July 04
P&O Nedlloyd have advised the withdrawl from service of the vessel P&O Nedlloyd Taranaki from July. The replacement vessel will be the P&O Nedlloyd Wellington .
The P&O Nedlloyd Wellington was built in 1993 and was formerly known as the OSS Kolkata.
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NEW EXPORT SECURITY MEASURES - FEB 04
March 1 is fast approaching for the introduction of new Export security measures.
The most significant change is the requirement for Export entries to be lodged no later than 48 hours before the cargo is loaded for export. Whilst Customs have extended this time frame out to 1 hour prior to loading, this concession is at your peril and should Customs require to examine your cargo then there is no guarantee it will make the vessel.
Further deadlines are expected to be implemented by Port Companies/Airlines in order for them to be able to administer the new security requirements and these could well vary from port to port. At the time of writing no advice has been received from Port Companies.
It is possible that in future export shipments may need to be prepared with all documentation complete as much as one week prior to shipment.
Whilst Customs have published that their electronic processing is available 24/7 and a
delivery order may be available within 1 hour, preparation of the data required by Customs also takes time and this should not be overlooked.
At Advance International we will undertake give priority to the processing of export documentation. We will undertake to have an export delivery order available within 4 hours provided we have first received a copy of the original booking and all the export information provided is complete.
As we progress through the new export measures it is also important to note that any amendments to data supplied MUST be advised so amendments can be made.
Key details are:
· Information supplied MUST be complete and correct
· ALL cargo in a shipment MUST be accounted for.
· NO DELIVERY ORDER, NO LOAD.
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