deugro USA has established a task force based in Houston, USA, to support importers and cargo owners handling shipments that are non-compliant with international phytosanitary measures.
The freight forwarder said that since 2017, there has been an increase in the number of imported shipments being halted on arrival at US ports because they contain wooden packing materials that violate International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM).
The deugro task force would be primarily focused on violations of ISPM 15 – which directly addresses the need to treat wood materials of a thickness greater than 6 mm that could potentially spread disease and harm ecosystems.
The task force will help companies deal with non-compliant shipments, which can result in fines and penalties issues by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). deugro USA said that the team’s main objective, however, is to prevent such shipments in the first place by addressing potential issues at the point of origin.
deugro USA, in partnership with 4D Supply Chain Consulting, will provide education, training, operational execution, supervision of shipments, consulting services and surveys.
