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Shipping Incident bulletin 31th January 2020
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This week’s bulletin contains updates about: Finland, France, Indonesia, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Mongolia, Brazil, Hong Kong, China, Macau.
Finland
Start date: 27th January
End date:Â 18th February
There is currently a strike in Finland by the Paper Industry which is affecting road transportation in Finland.
The strike started on 27 January and has is scheduled to continue until Monday February 17 – unless the negotiating parties will reach an agreement beforehand.
As a result, this is likely to result in some delays in mail traffic due to extended travel time until the strike finishes.
France
Start date: 27th January
End date:Â 30th February
Storm disrupts postal operations: Sources indicate on January 27 that Storm Gloria has disrupted postal operations in the South of France in recent days. Collection and delivery of all mail and parcels in the region are likely to be impacted.
Indonesia
Start date: 30th January
End date:Â Ongoing
Pos Indonesia, would like to inform other Union member countries and their designated operators that the customs clearance process is expected to be delayed as a result of changes to the de minimis exemption on shipments imported into Indonesia, effective from 30 January 2020. Delays are therefore to be expected in the processing and delivery of letter-post, parcel-post and EMS items containing goods.
Jamaica
Start date: 28th January
End date:Â 29th January
Jamaica Post, asks us to inform other Union member countries and their designated operators that postal operations have been disrupted as a result of tremors associated with the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that occurred in the Caribbean basin on Tuesday, 28 January.
The international mail processing centre in Kingston, Jamaica (IMPC code JMKINA), has had to initiate an emergency evacuation, and all inbound and outbound mail operations (letter-post, parcel-post and EMS items) were affected.
Cayman Islands
Start date: 29th January
End date:Â 31st January
Cayman Islands Postal Services asks us to inform other Union member countries and their designated operators that all postal services have been temporarily interrupted due to a 7.7-magnitude earthquake, which has occurred approximately 80 miles east of two of the islands and 117 miles from the main island. A tsunami warning was then in place for a period of time and aftershocks have been experienced.
Buildings are currently being assessed for structural damage, road infrastructure has been damaged, and there are sinkholes at a number of locations. The water supply has been turned off to protect it while it is assessed for damage. Non-essential staff have been instructed not to come to work for the time being.
Mongolia
Start date: 27th January
End date:Â 2nd March
Mongol Post JSC informs other Union member countries that, owing to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) and its rapid spread, the competent authorities of Mongolia have raised the risk level from medium to high, closed all of the country’s educational institutions (from kindergartens to universities) from 27 January to 2 March 2020, and prohibited the organization of public activities during this period.
Brazil
Start date: 26th January
End date:Â Ongoing
Flooding disrupts road traffic in several states: Media sources report that heavy rainfall over the past few days has caused flooding and landslides in the states of Minas Gerais and Espirito Santo as well as the northwestern region of the state of Rio de Janeiro, which has severely disrupted road traffic in the affected areas. Further disruptions in those areas should be expected until the weather situation improves.
Hong Kong
Start date: 28th January
End date:Â Ongoing
The designated operator of Hong Kong, Hongkong Post, asks us to inform other Union member countries and their designated operators that, owing to measures taken by the Hong Kong government since Tuesday, 28 January 2020 to reduce the risk of the spread of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), all inbound and outbound mail processing (letter-post, parcel-post and EMS items) are subject to disruption. The impact is expected to last for a few days.
China
Start date: 28th January
End date:Â Ongoing
China Post informs that, in order to prevent the risk of further transmission and spreading of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), China Post has been instructed by the Chinese government to disinfect all mails destined to or transiting via Wuhan at its processing centre.
For international mails (letter-post, parcel-post and EMS items) destined for Hubei Province (postcodes 430000–449999), China Post will contact the addressee by telephone before delivery to ask about their delivery preferences. The mail can either be temporarily stored at the postal outlet, or made available for pick-up from the outlet, or delivered to a smart parcel locker, or delivered by other non-face-to-face methods. These steps will result in delays to international inbound mail processing and delivery, and it will not be possible to provide written proof of delivery in some cases.
Delivery methods for international inbound mails are thus agreed by the recipient before delivery, and China Post kindly requests the assistance of other Union member countries and their designated operators in explaining the special circumstances to senders.
Macau
Start date: 30th January
End date:Â 1st February
Postal services suspended in Macau: On January 28, Macau Post indicated that all civil servants will be exempted from working on January 30 and 31 in order to minimize the spreading of the coronavirus. Consequently, Macau Post is suspending all postal services on the aforementioned dates and delays are likely to occur.