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Fit for human consumption
Inaccurate weights issues highlighted
In the lead-up to the implementation of the International Maritime Organization’s Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) verified gross mass (VGM) regulations, BIFA was heavily involved in making Members aware of the changes. This regulation, which requires the gross mass (cargo gross weight plus container tare weight) of loaded shipping containers to be recorded and verified before they can be loaded onto a vessel for export, came into force on 1 July 2016. Effectively there are two methods to achieve an accurate VGM, but both require weighing. The VGM regulations have been successfully implemented across the globe, resulting in much safer supply chains. BIFA receives very few enquiries on this subject from Members now. Recently, however, concerns have been raised over the accuracy of weighing facilities, as well as the number of late VGM amendments. Asia-Europe ocean carriers are starting to take action against shippers who incorrectly declare westbound booking container weights and make last-minute VGM amendments. Misdeclared booking weights can cause the weight allocations of individual alliance partners to be exceeded, ships to shut out cargo, contracts to underperform and revenue to be lost. The Japanese carrier ONE became the first carrier to take action when advising that it would impose a $2,000 per container weight discrepancy charge (WDS) from 1 July for bookings accepted on or after that date. ONE said the penalty fee would apply where the cargo weight deviated by more than +/- 3 tons per teu from the bill of lading instructions and documentation. The implementation of VGM coincided with relatively low maritime traffic levels. COVID-19 and the resulting higher traffic levels have focused minds on the weight issue, making it more important to ensure that the correct weight for each container is declared.
In an example of its work, the Suffolk Coastal Port Health Authority (SCPHA) has shared information relating to the identification of a consignment of frozen sea bream imported through the port of Felixstowe in June which was contaminated with the tongue-eating parasite cymothoa exigua. With a team of 130, the SCPHA provides essential health checks on food and animal-related imports to ensure that they are safe for human consumption and present no risk to UK wildlife and agriculture. In this case it was able to prevent the parasite- infested consignment from entering the UK. In the course of its work it will check around 80,000 consignments a year arriving at the port of Felixstowe – Britain’s busiest container port – Harwich international port and the port of Ipswich. Port health inspectors are part of the environmental team of the local district council. Information on the import of goods subject to port health control via UK ports can be found at: • www.porthealth.uk/ for the Port of Felixstowe, Harwich International Port and the Port of Ipswich • https://mersey-pha.gov.uk/ for the Port of Liverpool • www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/business- standards/london-port-health-authority/contact-lond on-port-health-authority for London Gateway • www.southampton.gov.uk/business-licensing/port- health/ for Southampton • www.nelincs.gov.uk/keeping-our-area-clean-and-
safe/environment-health/port-health/grimsby-and- immingham-port-health-charges/ for Grimsby and Immingham • www.dover.gov.uk/Port-Health-and-Public- Protection/Port-Health/Port-Health.aspx for Dover. Cymothoa exigua are tongue-eating parasites that affect fish and were found in some imported sea bream during a health check by Suffolk Coastal Port Health Authority
Reference to CHIEF removed from BIFA training courses – not quite
All courses from 1 August will contain reference to CHIEF and C88 for exports only. With the full introduction of the Customs Declaration Service (CDS) on the horizon, our training team have been faced with the dilemma of when they stop talking about CHIEF, box numbers, C88 etc, in our Customs-related courses. Carl Hobbis, executive director with responsibility for training, explained: “With a track record of 11th hour delays on previous Brexit and EU Exit-related subjects, this has been a bit of a conundrum for us. “In the end, we have decided that for any Customs course starting from 1 August, all references to CHIEF-related items will be limited to exports only. This is because the
CHIEF import facility is due to be removed on 30 September 2022, with CDS becoming the only place to make import entries. It will still be possible to make export entries through CHIEF until the end of March 2023 when this function will also be removed. “From August, any delegate doing our BTEC course will find that all teaching, homework and the final assessment will be based on CDS.” BIFA is still receiving a relentless number of enquiries and appetite for Customs training, and as a result our freight and Customs training courses are now booked-up months in advance. Hobbis said: “We have added more dates to our calendar for the remainder of the year, so we
encourage people to book early to secure places. “Our training has built-up a reputation for being relevant for the day-to-day knowledge needed and the feedback we receive from our sessions is incredibly positive. “We have recently delivered face- to-face courses in Heathrow, Manchester and the Midlands, plus some in-house at BIFA Member premises. Whilst we all understand the convenience of remote learning, you cannot beat face-to-face, so I would encourage Members to support these.” For course information visit: www.bifa.org/training/customs- procedures or to discuss training options, contact Carl Hobbis at c.hobbis@bifa.org
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August 2022
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