New Zealand Overview
Air Terminals
- Import cargo terminals are operating as normal.
- Export terminals are operating as normal.
Landside
Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) season starts again on 1st September and runs to 30th April 2025. This means MPI has extra requirements for imported cargo from countries with BMSB populations. Broadly, the procedures and requirements are the same as last season. This means for our LCL containers from Japan, USA, Canada, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Spain, cargo must be either low risk (eg food) or high risk goods (eg auto parts) that are accompanied by a declaration that the cargo was manufactured indoors and stored indoors prior to export.
FCL loads from any of these countries also need to comply:
Target list countries:
Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Moldova, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United States of America
Please speak to your Key Account Manager about treatment types and requirements.
Air Freight Update
North America
Imports – Shipments are progressing as expected. For LAX, please anticipate adding one additional day to the estimated time of arrival.
Exports – Space is currently constrained for shipments into the United States, with limited availability until early October when US carriers return for the summer season.
Europe
Imports – Shipments from Frankfurt and Milan are moving efficiently. However, there have been a few transit delays from London and certain EU countries due to congestion at transhipment ports.
Exports – Capacity into Europe is currently tight. Some Airlines have reduced their services due to ongoing Iranian airspace closures and unrest in the Middle East.
Asia
Imports – Capacity issues persist from many origins due to ocean delays and the conversion of shipments to air transport, particularly from Guangzhou and Hong Kong. Singapore Airlines is also experiencing backlogs and capacity constraints within the Asia region, resulting in potential delays.
Exports – Capacity is available on most carriers, to most destinations.
Trans-Tasman
Imports – Shipments are moving as booked, but carriers are at full capacity. Securing additional space for larger shipments could be challenging.
Exports – Shipments are proceeding as scheduled, with capacity generally available across most carriers.
Ocean Freight Update
Asia
- With Golden Week just over a month away (1 – 7 October), the pressure is very much on space out of China and North Asia with all shipping lines now strictly holding all contracts to allocation and a few, have abandoned contracts altogether. Any orders that are still not booked may need to be booked on alternate contracts in order to get them out prior to Golden Week.
- Empty container availability at origin seems less of a challenge in the past few weeks, with new equipment being added in constantly to help alleviate any issues.
- Congestion through major ports in Asia has resulted in some delays in scheduling, we expect this to continue for the foreseeable future.
- Port congestion remains an issue in the major transhipment ports and second leg transits will be affected by this.
- ANL has announced an export General Rate increase to Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, the Middle East and Gulf effective from 1st September 2024. Please liase with your Key account managers regarding rate increases.
- Space remains tight on some export services to Asia – we recommend booking at least 2 weeks in advance in order to secure.
Trans-Tasman
- MSC has temporarily suspend the Capricorn and Kiwi Express service from August and the Wallaby service has been enhanced. There will now be direct calls import from Sydney & Melbourne to New Zealand as well as export to Melbourne as well as Brisbane. Nelson will be serviced by the Noumea service and will connect in Tauranga with the Wallaby. Port Chalmers will continue to be serviced by the OC1/OC2 service and also connect in Tauranga with the Wallaby. Please contact your Account manager for further details.
- The ANL Kiwi Trader has phased into the ANZ Shuttle service in early September. This vessel will replace the Contship Win to allow a regular and reliable weekly call into Auckland.
- ANL have announced a General Rate increase to and from Brisbane effective from 1st September.
- Zim at this point will not have a service going forward to or from Australia, and the last sailings are in September.
- Space for 20GP’s with Maersk are slim to none out of all Australian ports. This situation is likely to continue.
Europe
- BMSB season will re-start on September 1st with the same policies and procedures as last year. Please refer to the ‘New Zealand’ and ‘Australia’ sections above for specific detail.
- On-going attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea have made all container carriers to NZ continue to avoid the Suez Canal until further notice. There will be delays of approximately 2-3 weeks and extra costs as shipping lines go re-route via Cape of Good Hope.
- Bad weather around the Cape of Good Hope has delayed some vessels.
- Rates from Europe have increased in line with extra demand and longer routings absorbing capacity.
- 20’ reefers are in low supply across Europe.
- General rate increases and peak season surcharges are being applied to NZ export services to Europe and the Middle East.
North America
- Panama Canal services for ANP/OC1 service with Hapag Lloyd, Maersk and MSC – Continuing low lake levels in the Panama Canal is adversely affecting vessel deadweight capacity. Space is restricted and vessels are booked 3-4 weeks in advance of departure.
- Reminder – The ANP/OC1 service with Hapag Lloyd, Maersk and MSC no longer has a direct Charleston SC call. This has been replaced by Savannah GA. Transhipment services are now available for Charleston, SC.
West Coast North America:
- A possible strike on the East Coast Ports, affecting Savannah Ports, is being planned for the 1st of October. Negotiations are ongoing. We will share updates as they are made available.
- Imports from the USA will attract a US$35 per B/L BMSB admin fee due to necessary documentation and extra admin.
Customs Update
Reminder of BMSB Season.
For the 2024-25 BMSB risk season, BMSB seasonal measures apply to Target high risk goods manufactured in, and / or shipped from target risk countries, on or after 1 September 2024 and arrive on or prior to 30 April 2025 (inclusive).
For more specific information / requirements please ask your Harders NZ Key Account Manager.