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Paperless is the answer

China Customs have announced that their newly introduced paperless system is enhancing efficiency. The system was introduced in April last year, allowing shippers to submit documents electronically. When lodging via paper, declarations usually include seven to eight pages or manifest, invoices and certificates.  Depending on the cargo, declarations could have more than one hundred pages.  […]

Massive loss of containers in rough seas

Last week the Svendborg Maersk encountered a huge storm when sailing thru the Bay of Biscay. The vessel was on it’s way to Colombo, Sri Lanka.  During this very rough weather, it was noted that the vessel had lost “a significant amount of containers”. All crew is safe and accounted for. The vessel has now […]

Shipping Container City

Wow, say hello to this shipping container city. Located in Newtown, Johannesburg this new development is “Mill Junction” and has been built for housing students in an area where student housing is sparse. Used sea containers (some over 50 years old) have been perched high on top of abandoned concrete grain silos. The empty silos […]

Ephedrine hitching a ride

A simple x-ray of an airfreight consignment has exposed anomalies in a shipment of bicycle seats sent to Sydney from China. Australian Customs and Border Protection (ACBPS) officers opened the package, finding approx 6.3kgs of a white crystalline substance. The material later tested positive for ephedrine. “Ephedrine is used to manufacture dangerous and illegal amphetamine-type […]

Japan Advanced Filing Rules

The new Japan Advanced Filing Rules are being implemented in March 2014. These new rules requires shipping lines and freight forwarders to report all cargo prior to loading on the vessel destined for Japan no later than 24 hours prior to vessel departure (from the port of loading). These rules closely resemble the United States […]

Singapore Reinforcing Safety of Navigation

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) are currently conducting investigations to determine the cause of three collisions in Singapore waters recently. Whilst the investigations continue, the MPA will introduce several measures effective immediately in order to minimize future marine incidents. MPA , along with the shipping community (shipping agents, shipowners, ship managers and […]

Tauranga VS Auckland

Two of New Zealand’s biggest ports are currently arguing over who is the best. The dispute began when, Morningstar rated the Port of Tauranga as the most productive, efficient port in Australasia. The Port of Auckland, head of communications Matt Ball, has disputed this claim saying that Morningstar had got it wrong when it came […]

The true price of an overweight container

With the new laws regarding road transportation due to take effect next month, EES Shipping would like to share with you the problems resulting from mis-declaring container weights. Incorrect stowage decisions Re-stowage of containers (and resulting delays and costs), if the overweight condition is discovered Collapsed container stacks Containers lost overboard (both those overweight and […]

Disaster strikes with overweight containers

Every container thats weight is not declared properly can have catastrophic results.  Below is just a small list of incidents that have occurred due to mis-declared container weights. January 2006 Crushing of containers in stack by overweight containers aboard the containership P&O Nedlloyd Genoa, which lead to a domino-effect of container-stack toppling and collapses. (image […]