Author: dY3lA0uJ

Dear Customer,
As you know at midnight the 31st Dec 2020 the BREXIT transition period ends, and the UK will have fully left the EU, deal or no deal. For many of you not exporting to the EU you may not see many changes to your present daily business, but there is one very important change that will impact on most if not all exporters regardless of the services they utilise.

As of the 1st Jan 2021 the UK becomes a third party country in its relationship with the EU and as such is required to comply with the ICS /ENS protocols (ICS – Import Control System – is the electronic security declaration management system for the importation of goods into the European Union customs territory).

Some of you may be aware of this if you have been dealing with Imports from outside the EU into the UK or EU member states.

The export shipping Lines are beholden to complete the ICS protocols before loading any cargo onboard a vessel destined for, transhipping in, or transiting via the EU.
As such we are required to provide all export information in the form of a ENS entry to the Control system and gain loading approval, 24 hours before the commencement of Loading operations. During this period, the ICS will either approve the cargo for loading, request more information or block the loading.

What do you need to provide and when?

• We require the FULL Bill of Lading information, Shipper, Consignee, Notify (if any), cargo description, quantity of packages, etc.

• As most, if not all shippers will be aware of the cargo they are shipping and to whom it is consigned, we are looking for customers to provide B/lading details as the cargo is booked or delivered. In this way we can build up the data and trigger the ENS as early as possible so avoiding undue pressure on our documentation staff at the last moment.
The Bill of Landing information MUST be with us no later than the Closing date of the Vessel, for example if the closing is Wednesday, then we need to have all the information by the Wednesday morning, to ensure that we can list all of the cargo being presented.

We do not presently believe that the EU will look to block shipments, but we have little control over this. It does mean that we need to have all the required information to hand no later than the Closing day for the respective vessels. Any cargo that does not have by the deadline the required information will not be listed to load for the vessel.
We believe that many of our customers will not find this a problem as many already utilise various online booking platforms that allow for the easy presentation of the required information.

In order to acclimatise all customers to the new requirement, we are looking for those customers with bookings on the Gr.Tema v.0121, which is our last Tilbury sailing before the end of 2020, to present their Bill of Lading details now if the cargo is on quay or comply with the above request of providing the instructions on the day of delivery or next morning and no later than the morning of the closing for the vessels.

We will send notifications to those customers with cargo already on quay, but no Bill of Lading instructions presented.

Dear customer,

Further to our communications of the 25th July 2019, 13th Sept 2019 and 21st Oct 2020, please find the following important revisions / additional new cargo modalities that will be implemented in line with our present cargo modalities for used vehicles.

These revisions have been made in light of the fact that various international bodies and ports responsible for maritime safety are all requiring more effective cargo modalities to enforce and improve the fundamental safety, environmental and shipping regulations in the used vehicles trades and tighter compliance with many existing conventions & regulations including b SOLAS , ISPS , IMDG and the EU waste regulations

The Antwerp Port Authorities have taken the initiative in introducing new and stringent cargo modalities standards which will apply in Antwerp and are expected to develop and become the benchmark for other European ports.

As Antwerp is a Key hub port for the Grimaldi Group, we will be applying these, adjustment across the full range of Grimaldi European load ports served by the Grimaldi Deep-sea service to both West Africa and South America.

Therefore, with effect for any new deliveries as of Tuesday 8th Dec, the following restrictions to the loading of good inside vehicles will be enforced.

1. Cars & Vans (small or big):
NO cargo/ commercial good are to be loaded within the vehicle, the only exception are those items inherent to the vehicle (1 x spare tyre/crutch/small set of tools/fluorescent warning vest/signs).

2. Trucks/Roro :

Truck/Roro designed to carry cargo can load up to the designed vehicle capacity as long as the loaded items are correctly lashed and secured in accordance with previously advised securing
requirements. Loaded cargo must be accessible for inspection on arrival, to ensure that items are compliant with all required regulations in place at the time of delivery.

NO cargo items are allowed in passenger vehicles which were designed for people carriage, such as for example, buses or coaches.

Any Vehicles loaded upon a Truck/Trailer are to be empty

As now, all units will be subject to compulsory weighing and must not exceed the allowed maximum manufactures specification.

All loaded units are to be accompanied with a full detailed packing list as is the case now.

Loaded cargo is to be referenced in export Bill of Lading instructions for Merchant and safety Purposes only, the carrier does not accept liability for the declared contents in
accordance with the terms of carriage as set out in the Bill of Landing.

Any unit found not to be or deemed not to be compliant with the above and any other element of the prevailing Grimaldi receiving modalities will be refused entry or if found after reception will be blocked
for shipment.

All costs involved in the removal of the vehicles will be for the account of the booking party, units will need to be removed immediately or within 24hours, or be subject to rent and other penalty charges.

We hope that customers understand that the changing nature of global shipping brings about constant review based on developing circumstances, please be assured that all new requirements have the interest of all parties at the center of them.

In order to further support Grimaldi’s handling and acceptance of vehicles in containers as governed by the above IMDG codes. Grimaldi have introduce to the European export market the following additional requirement for the loading and acceptance of container bookings where a vehicle or machinery powered by an internal combustion engine, is to be loaded.
These requirements are already mandatory and fully complied with on our USA/WAF trade.

Effective from the 19th October no container will be loaded onto a Grimaldi vessel where the cargo description is ;

Vehicle(s) & Personal Effects
Vehicle(s) & Spare Parts
Vehicle(s), Motorcycles & ATVs
Vehicle(s)
Machinery (combustion engines)

unless the following has been complied with.

• Vehicle declaration covering IMDG 2010/SP961 has been signed and provided (presently required).

• The following pictorial evidence is to be provided for each vehicle loaded within the container and sent email to the following new address VEHpictures@grimaldi.co.uk.
we are asking for a total of 3 clear pictures for each vehicle loaded within consisting of :

1. VIN number
2. The fuel tank gauge to be completely positioned on the left position (empty) with the fuel light illuminated as proof of the empty tank and the ignition switched on at the time.
3. The battery being disconnected and properly protected from short circuit – at such we need photo of the negative pole of the battery covered / protected
Batteries terminals must be protected by plastic Caps only

Contact your local UK commercial Grimaldi office for example pictures covering 2 & 3 of the above.

We would recommend that with immediate effect the above requirements are complied with for all new bookings and those for the Gr.Tema voy. 0820 in order to ensure that your customers and loading facilities/sites become familiar with the requirement and gain appropriate isolation caps prior to its mandatory implementation date.

If you have any questions please contact your local UK Grimaldi Agency office.

Dear Customer.

Please be aware that from Monday 11th May, all RORO units loaded from or Transiting Antwerp will require at the time of booking the full Vin Number (minimum 17 digits) for the unit(s) being shipped.

Units where the VIN is shorter or a Serial number exists will be accepted, but they will be checked and any units found to have a different or a full 17 digit Vin will be subject to Customs fines and potential delays in loading on the vessels.

Many WAF countries already require for local regulations or ECTN purposes the full Vin number on paperwork, but it is essential that you have the details available at the time of booking, as we will not be able to process you booking without this information.

Those parties making use of on-line booking modules need to ensure that the Vin is correctly inserted at the time of entry into your on-line portal.

If you have any questions then please call your local Grimaldi contact.

Please see the below press release issued by the Ministry of Transport in Ghana.
It was initially hoped that this would be temporary and may not have been enforced, however enforcement will commence as of the 1st May 2019.
Grimaldi will therefore NOT Accept or load any Excavators or units defined in anyway as an Excavator to Ghana, with Immediate effect.
For information…

Press release of the 1st April 2019 by the Ministry of Transport states.

At a sitting on the 27th March 2019, cabinet places as temporary ban on the importation of excavators. This has become necessary following Government’s decision to regulate the use of excavators, especially in its efforts to combat the illegal mining phenomenon, popularly referred to as galamsey.
The Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority and Ministry of Trade and Industry have taken note of this directive by Cabinet.
The ban is with effect from 1st May, 20198 until further notice.
The Public is, hereby, urged to take note of this directive.

Signed..
Kwaku Ofori Asiamah
Hon.Minster

Dear all, we hope this email finds you all well at this very difficult time.

As you are all aware, Europe is beginning to come to standstill with the effects of the Coronavirus and due to this the Grimaldi Liverpool office team are now all working from home.

Although we are all working from home and able to produce Bills of lading, it is now becoming impossible for us to physically post Bills of lading to forwarding agents.

As of yesterday Tuesday 24th March we will now only offer Telex Releases for all cargo but with the below rules.

1, It is the responsibility of the Forwarder to authorise the WAF Docs team when they require the Telex Release to be done, we will not action releases until the email is received to the group email address wafexpdoc@grimaldi.co.uk. Releases are done at the risk of the forwarder.

2. As instructed by the Line to help WAF agents with a high increase in emails we will send a group Telex email for each POD once a day listing all the Releases for the day. The cut-off to receive Telex Release instructions is at 4pm each day to allow the Docs team time to collate all details sent to us before sending the group email to the POD’s.

3. Once a Telex Release is sent to the POD then you cannot change the details of a Release details. No exceptions.

Please understand that if you request a telex release, the deed of entitlement will transfer to the identified party on your release request, you MUST be sure that your customers have complied with your payment terms. Grimaldi are not liable for any losses you may incur due to the failure to ensure your own payment terms with your customers and they with the consignee etc., have been meet.

We wish you all well and stay safe.

Dear customer,

We have been informed that with immediate effect a new provider of the CTN for all shipments to Sierra Leone has been appointed as per attached letter from the SLPA and the system went live as of Monday 2nd March.

Shipments with bill of lading date 2/3/20 and onwards, are now subject to the new system now being run by a new provider called LSS appointed by the Sierra Leonean authorities.
Shippers will have to urgently comply with the new directives by creating an account and paying for the CTN online.

As per the letter from the SLPA, the CTN must appear on the bill of lading and the manifest issued by the Carrier. No bill of lading will be released to shippers unless a CTN is provided.

Please see like to the new providers site.
https://ctn-sl.sgs.com/Pages/Public/Default.aspx

If you have any questions please contact your local Grimaldi office

In order to maintain appropriate levels of support in a decreasing transport market Grimaldi Agencies will introduce a new UK container transport tariff effective as of the 1st January 2020.

This will affect all valid quotes

All previously quoted transport costs will change.

Please call your local Grimaldi Commecial office if you require further information.

Dear customer,

Further to the below announcement dated and sent on the 25th July. We have to inform you of further considerations and adjustments to the Mandatory guidelines now in force by the MPPR in the Port of Antwerp. These adjustments have a direct impact on all cargo presented to the Port of Antwerp for export on any shipping line offering RORO services from the Port of Antwerp. These guidelines will also impact on cargoes loading from Tilbury.

Further to the below and as a result of increased levels of spot compliance inspections the below will come into force.

• Units selected for compliance inspections will be fully unpacked and checked against the Packing lists provided any unit found to have cargo loaded outside of that specified in the Packing list will be blocked by the terminal authorities until brought into compliance or removed from the terminal. Non-compliant units will be subject to fines, and possible further intervention against repeat offenders (Forwarders, Shippers).

• Cargo, will only be allowed to be loaded in the designated/designed cargo carrying compartments and stowed in compliance with predefined modalities. Cargo compartments must be available for safe inspection.

The Port authorities have defined the level of acceptable cargo loaded in these compartments to be….

Passenger Cars – cargo can only be loaded in the Boot/Trunk; Station wagons /SUV’s/People carriers – cargo can only be loaded in the rear cargo compartment and cannot exceed the height of the Seats (without head rest).

Vans – 50% of the loading compartment, with the height restricted to the height of the Seats (without head rest).

All loaded engine parts or spares must be CLEAN, and appropriately secured within the loading compartment

No cargo to loaded on any seats within the passenger area of the unit.

As a large number of ports served from the UK are in transshipment via Antwerp the above consideration will become mandatory for all destinations served by Grimaldi as from Monday 15th September 2019 whether direct or via transshipment to avoid operational issues.

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Notification of the 25th July

Due to updates in the Port modalities and Municipal Port Police regulations (MPPR) now in force in Antwerp, it has become necessary to supply a detailed (merchants reference) packing list for all second hand units presented to the berth with additional cargo loaded within. Grimaldi have considered the above and in light of the fact that Antwerp is a key hub port for many destinations, has decided to maintain a harmonised approach, therefore similar regulations will enforced at all Grimaldi European terminals as of the 1st August 2019.

To this end, all units presented with additional cargo loaded on or within at Tilbury Docks for export, will in addition to complying with the reception criteria also require a detailed merchant reference packing list to be affixed to the inside of the front windscreen, lower passenger side, taking care not to obstruct or hinder the view of the driver. This packing list must be referenced with the S3 number and the last 6 digits of the chassis number for the units within which or upon which the cargo has been loaded.

An electronic copy of the packing list must also be sent prior to delivery to the Grimaldi port office – email address packinglist@grimaldi.co.uk – Subject heading must reference the ‘S3 number and ‘Packing list’.

Vehicles presented at Tilbury Docks on or after the 5th of August that do not comply with the above requirement will be refused entry to the terminal. Packing lists cannot be presented after the fact.

We remind customers that any cargo loaded, is on the basis of ‘shippers load stow and count’ and neither the line or terminal accept any liability for the goods.
Packing lists need to be detailed as they maybe referred to by competent authorities monitoring compliance with Maritime and national regulations.

All items declared in a packing list must be compliant with the all environmental and legal requirements governing export and imports for the POL and POD countries involved, as well as those policies and regulations set by the Grimaldi within its published Modalities.

We also remind customers that Grimaldi do not accept any form of IMDG cargo whatsoever and no such items should be loaded within or upon vehicles.

The shipper and their agent remain liable at all times for the correct compliance with all legal obligations pertaining to the export of goods.

We thank you for your understanding and compliance with the above to avoid unnecessary delays in receiving.

Best Regards
Grimaldi Agencies UK Ltd

CLEANING CERTIFICATE / GAS FREE CERTIFICATE for TANKTRAILERS/TRUCKS
After a review of the presentation of Gas free certificates in the past few months, it has been decided that Grimaldi Line loading from Tilbury will no longer accept Gas free certificates presented by the shipper. It has become clear that we need to have a consistency in the data presented and the time covered by documents. The change will bring Tilbury in line with other Grimaldi European operations.

Therefore, with effect immediate effect (23rd Aug 2019) Grimaldi will no longer accept gas free certificates issued prior to delivery. Any and all units required to comply with the Lines gas free certification will be subject to survey on the terminal. Cost of the Survey is £115 per unit.

Units that fail the survey will require removal from the terminal within 48hrs and be subject to the survey and redelivery costs.

Grimaldi do not and cannot offer a cleaning or degassing service, this remains the responsibility of the shipper prior to delivery.

We again remind customers that it is their responsibility to present units to the below standard;

All tanktrailers/tanktrucks/loose tanks/fire engines or units that have a pressurised or gravity feed tank etc., need to be completely empty, clean and free of hazardous gas and/or any hazardous cargo upon delivery to the terminal.

Grimaldi advises shipper’s to always use competent cleaning companies and, in this respect, refer to EFTCO (see their website for certificate/terms and conditions), shipper can present for good order associated Certificates, but the Grimaldi survey will still be undertaken and charged.

All liable units including piggy backed/stacked, will be submitted to survey.
Any vehicle not corresponding to these standards will be automatically rejected for loading and shipper will be requested to remove the vehicle from the terminal within 48 hrs.

Any non-hazardous gas present in vehicles like f.e. reefer cooling systems must be compliant with the allowed environmental rules and regulations for export – shippers are to provide a statement wherein the type of gas is declared to allow verification.

For any manufacturer new tanktruck/tanktrailer the shipper must provide an original statement from the manufacturers that the vehicle was never used for loading any cargo. This certificate cannot be older than 5 working days, in cases where the shipper fail to provide such statement then the vehicles will be submitted to survey on the terminal.

The terminal reserves the right to reject any units that they feel are not and cannot be deemed compliant with the above, with all costs remaining for the shipper account.

Please below a free form translation of Governmental adjustments and enforcement of decree no. 02017-217.

This means that Grimaldi will also extend their requirement for a signed EEE declarations currently used on the Nigerian trade to cover Abidjan

https://www.sgs.com/en/public-sector/sgs-renovo-e-waste-management/sgs-renovo-ivory-coast
**
NOTICE TO IMPORTERS, EXPORTERS AND MANUFACTURERS OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT (EEE) AND PNEUMATIC TIRES TO THE
DESTINATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF COTE D’IVOIRE

Subject: Implementation of a registration and inspection program for Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) and tires within the country of export, verification, collection and receipt of the anticipated eco-fees on these products exported to the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire.

Reference: Decree n02017-217 of 05th April 2017 on the environmentally sound management of waste electrical and electronic equipment.

The State of Côte d’Ivoire, acting through the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MINEDD) implements in the country of origin, the verification, collection and receipt of eco-fees on new and second-hand Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE), as well as on tires that are exported to Côte d’Ivoire.

The Government intends to strictly apply the provisions of the Basel Convention (1992) and the Bamako Agreement (1998), to ensure that Côte d’Ivoire will no longer receive waste from EEE and will acquire necessary resources for the control, management and extermination of such waste.

Therefore, under the above-mentioned decree, the Government has designated SGS as a service provider for the registration of EEE products and tires to ensure traceability, compliance with the Basel Convention and the collection of the anticipated eco-charge on behalf of the State of Côte d’Ivoire to exporters and manufacturers of the said new or second-hand products.

The experimental phase of these provisions is scheduled from August 5th to November 4th, 2019, the date of the transport document (Bill of lading, LTA, or title of road or rail transport) being authentic.

During this period, electrical and electronic equipment and tires exported to the Ivory Coast will have to be registered in order to allow exporters to obtain the eco-charge certificate required for their entry and customs clearance in Côte d’Ivoire.

The registration of the products, the payment of the eco-fee and the receipt of the eco-fee certificate will be made on the SGS Exporter Portal via this link: https://exporter-portal.sgs.com.

A copy of the Exporter Portal User Guide for Registering and Submitting Orders can be downloaded from https://exporter-portal.sgs.com.

SGS affiliated offices and MINEDD staff will provide “necessary support for the registration process on Export Portal to ensure optimal implementation of the program.

EEE and tire importers in Côte d’Ivoire are responsible for informing their suppliers / exporters of the mandatory nature of the program and the requirement to register on the SGS Exporter Portal registration platform.

For more information, please contact renovo@sgs.com; ci.renovo@sgs.com and iacqueskoffi2@yahoo.fr
Tel: +225 21 752 263; + 225 21 752 240; +225 22 411 199; + 225 08 174 462

We refer you to previous announcements as to the requirement to provide CTN numbers for cargo destined for Cotonou, further reinforcement to the requirements have been announced by the General Management of Customs Authorities in Benin and come into force for ALL cargo arriving in Benin on or after the 1st Sept 2019. The CTN requirement also covers cargoes in Transit.

We remind all customers that it is shipper’s responsibility to supply the Carrier with the CTN , which must be inserted in the body of the Original Bill of Lading and manifests.

Although we will continue to accept and load cargo pending the provision of the CTN, a subsequent CTN must be provided no later than the time of final b/lading instructions. Late submissions or amendments will result in manifest amendments and will be subject to fees.
B/ladings will not be issued without a CTN being shown.

For clarity any Cargo that arrives in Cotonou without a CTN in place will be kept on board and returned to origin with all additional freight and costs for the account of the shipper.

There is no option to have CTN arranged locally.