New Zealand Overview
Air Terminals
- Import cargo terminals are operating as normal.
- Export terminals are operating as normal.
Landside – BMSB Season 2024 – 2025
Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) season started 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.
Airfreight Update
North America
Imports
Most Consolidations are moving as planned. For LAX, please allow an additional day to the estimated time of arrival. Although capacity is reduced, delays generally remain within 24 to 48 hours and are not expected to exceed this timeframe.
Over the next six weeks, American Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Delta Airlines, and Air Canada are all set to resume services from the USA to New Zealand, significantly boosting connectivity between the two regions. United Airlines will also expand its service, increasing to daily flights.
This ramp-up in flights will provide much-needed extra airfreight capacity, facilitating smoother and faster trade routes from the USA to New Zealand. The added cargo space is expected to ease some supply chain pressures from the pending port strikes and enhance the flow of goods between the two countries.
Please contact your Harders Account Managers if you have urgent orders ex the East Coast.
Export
Space remains very tight for shipments to the United States due to limited capacity. However, we expect conditions to improve when U.S. carriers resume operations for the summer season in mid to late October. The TSA in the US have requested better descriptions on AWB’s to be enforced from the start of October.
Europe
Imports
Ongoing capacity constraints for shipments to Europe are anticipated to improve with increased flight schedules starting early to mid October for the summer season.
Exports
Space is still Limited for shipments to Europe, but we anticipate improvement with increased schedules in mid to late October for the summer season.
Asia
Imports
Capacity issues continue from various origins due to ocean freight delays and the conversion of shipments to air transport, particularly from Guangzhou and Hong Kong.
- Singapore Airlines and Malaysian Airlines are facing backlogs and capacity constraints in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, which is resulting in delays in transit.
- Air New Zealand flights between Auckland and Seoul will resume on October 28, 2024, and continue through March 29, 2025, with three flights each way per week.
Exports
Capacity is available on most carriers, to most destinations. Air New Zealand will resume flights from Auckland to Seoul three times per week starting October 28, 2024, through March 29, 2025.
Trans-Tasman
Imports
Consolidations are on track, with most carriers having available capacity. There is a new Melbourne to Auckland service due to start in October, with flights 5 Times per week.
Exports
Consolidations are proceeding as scheduled, with available capacity on most carriers.
Ocean Freight Update
Asia
- Typhoons in Eastern China (Shanghai/Ningbo area) are causing some disruption with schedule delays and, in some cases, impacting the ability for shippers to get cargo to ports/depots.
- With Golden Week past (1 – 7 October), we are now seeing space ease slightly in October, though this will take time to flow through to freight rates.
- Congestion at major transhipment ports in Malaysia and Singapore continues to ease and connections are improving.
- Space remains tight on some export services to Asia. We recommend booking at least 2 weeks in advance in order to secure. Please check with your Accounts Manager for options.
- Maersk have announced an upgrade to their Oceania service and will introduce a new ‘Northern Star’ service which will offer direct connections between New Zealand, Australia and China.
Trans-Tasman
- The ANL Kiwi Trader phased into the ANZ Shuttle service in early September. This vessel replaced the Contship Win to allow a regular and reliable weekly call into Auckland.
- The Contship Quo has been phased out of the Cosco/OOCL service to Australia and there is a delay with the replacement vessel deployment. The schedule should be back on track in coming weeks subject to the replacement vessel ‘phase in’.
- Space for 20GP’s with Maersk are slim to none out of all Australia Ports. This situation is likely to continue.
Europe
- BMSB season started on September 1st with the same policies and procedures as last year.
Peak export season from Europe after summer holidays has filled up some sailings. - Currently, 3-4 weeks’ notice for bookings is best to be safe.
- On-going attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea has made all container carriers to NZ avoid the Suez Canal until further notice. There will be delays of approximately 2-3 weeks and extra costs as shipping lines reroute via Cape of Good Hope.
- Container shortages are happening particularly at depots that are further inland, e.g., Czech Republic, Austria.
- There are equipment shortages in Turkey.
- 20’ reefers are in low supply across Europe.
- Congestion in Singapore is causing delays in transit of 2+ weeks.
North America
Panama Canal services for ANP/OC1 service with Hapag Lloyd, Maersk and MSC – Continuing low lake levels in the Panama Canal are adversely affecting vessel deadweight capacity. Space is restricted and vessels are booked 3-4 weeks in advance of departure.
US East Coast & Gulf strike action by International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) :
A brief joint statement issued by the US International Longshoremen’s Association (waterside workers) and the United States Maritime Alliance (representing shipping companies) said the two parties had reached a tentative agreement on wages and had agreed to extend the Master Contract until January 15 next year, in order to return to the bargaining table to negotiate all other outstanding issues.
“Effective immediately, all current job actions will cease and all work covered by the Master Contract will resume,” the statement said.
Customs Update
Reminder of BMSB Season 2024 – 2025.
For more specific information / requirements please ask your Harders NZ Key Account Manager.