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Shipping Incident bulletin 7th February 2020
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This week’s bulletin contains updates about: Finland, Martinique, Japan, USA, Poland, Croatia, Georgia, Hong Kong, China, Spain, Romania, Macau, South Africa, Slovenia.
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.
Martinique
Start date: 13th January
End date:Â Ongoing
The designated operator of France, La Poste, informs that a major strike has affected the French overseas department of Martinique for the past three weeks, causing delays in the collection and the delivery of all postal products (letter-post, parcel-post and EMS items).
Japan
Start date: 28th January
End date:Â Ongoing
Japan Post informs other Union member countries and their designated operators that it has been experiencing serious delays in the handling of outbound mail items since 28 January 2020, as a result of continuously rising outbound mail volumes.
In particular, the extremely large volume of EMS and parcel-post items sent to China (People’s Rep.) within a short period, coupled with the cancellation of flights between Japan and China, is causing serious congestion at sorting centres, outbound offices of exchange (OEs) and airport mail handling facilities, and delays in the uplifting process by airlines.
EMS and parcel-post items are being handled by post offices with high priority, in an effort to ensure rapid processing in Japan. However, the overall volumes exceed the capacity of Japan’s existing sorting centres and OEs.
Japan Post is taking active steps to decrease the current backlogs as soon as possible. However, as more and more airlines cancel their flights to China, delays are set to continue for the time being.
United States
Start date: 5th February
End date:Â Ongoing
Winter storm disrupts ground transportation: winter storm Kade has affrected ground transportation across the Midwest and Northeast of the United States. The westbound lanes of I-70 and the Missouri River Bridge in Rocheport remained temporarily closed. Weather forecasts indicate that the storm will bring more snow and ice in the coming days.
Poland
Start date: 17th – 29th  February
Expected end date:Â 10th March
The designated operator of Poland, Poczta Polska S.A., informs other Union member countries and their designated operators that the airmail unit (AMU) in Warsaw will be moving into a new location at Warsaw airport during the period 17–29 February 2020. It is expected, however, that there may be periodic disruption in the international outgoing and incoming mail (letter-post, parcel-post and EMS items) until 10 March 2020, despite the fact that relocation of the AMU is scheduled for completion by 1 March 2020.
Croatia, Georgia
Start date: 6th February
End date:Â Ongoing
Croatian and Georgian Post inform other Union member countries that, owing to the suspension until further notice of flights from partner airlines to China (People’s Rep.), it is currently unable to send letter-post, parcel-post or EMS items to China.
Croatian and Georgian Post is therefore declaring a situation of force majeure and ceasing, with immediate effect, to accept letter-post, parcel-post and EMS items destined for China, until sufficient transport capacity becomes available.
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.
Spain
Start date: 4th February
End date:Â Ongoing
The designated operator of Spain, Correos y Telégrafos, informs that, as most of its partner airlines have suspended their flights to China (People’s Rep.) until further notice, it is currently unable to send letter-post, parcel-post or EMS items to China.
Correos y Telégrafos is therefore declaring a situation of force majeure and ceasing, with immediate effect, to accept letter-post, parcel-post and EMS items destined for China, until sufficient transport capacity becomes available.
Romania
Start date: 31st January
End date:Â Ongoing
The designated operator of Romania, Compania Nationala Posta Romana S.A., informs that, as all of its partner airlines have suspended their flights to China (People’s Rep.) until further notice, it is currently unable to send letter-post, parcel-post or EMS items to China.
Commencing 31 January 2020, Compania Nationala Posta Romana S.A has therefore ceased to accept letter-post, parcel-post and EMS items destined for China, until transport capacity becomes available.
Macau
Start date: 30th January
End date:Â 7th February
The designated operator of Macao, China, Macau Post, asks us to inform other Union member countries and their designated operators that, in order to minimize the spread of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), the Macao government has announced that all civil servants will continue to be exempted from working until Friday, 7 February 2020 (inclusive). As a consequence, Macau Post will provide limited basic postal services to the public during the above period.
As Hongkong Post’s inbound and outbound mail processing (letter-post, parcel-post and EMS items) is subject to disruption (EmIS 14/2020) and most of Macao, China’s inbound mail items transit via Hongkong Post, delays are to be expected in the delivery of inbound mail.
South Africa
Start date: 3rd February
End date:Â Ongoing
Postal services experience disruptions: it was reported that the South African Post Office announced that the delivery of all parcels to and from China will be delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak, in part due to flight operators cancelling routes to China.
Slovenia
Start date: 4th February
Expected end date: 8th February
Postal services experience disruptions:Â Post of Slovenia reported that it stopped accepting postal items destined for China, due to flight operators cancelling routes. The suspension of flights to China is planned until Saturday, February 8.