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Shipping Incident bulletin 3rd April 2020
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Mail disruption due to Coronavirus
France –Â the French Government has extended the measures aimed at combating the spread of COVID-19 until 15 April.
As a result, La Poste may have a reduced workforce available, and not be able to deliver mail to specifications, with signatures on delivery suspended in order to prevent any further spread of the infection. Delays to mail services can be expected.
Czech Rep. – Česká PoÅ¡ta can no longer guarantee the service delivery standards (including delivery times and other quality parameters).
Česká Pošta has made the following changes to its delivery procedures to help contain the spread of the virus:
- International registered mail and parcels are delivered according to standards, if possible with measures that minimize interpersonal contact;
- International and domestic EMS delivery at the weekend and on public holidays is suspended for the moment;
- Domestic registered mail (with no additional services, such as written proof of delivery, etc.) with an unsuccessful delivery attempt will, if possible, be inserted in the addressee’s mailbox. Items that do not fit in the mailbox will be stored at the post office with an extended storage period. A notification, including instructions, will be inserted in the mailbox. The same applies to ordinary mail, including small packages;
- International and domestic items requiring a signature will be delivered with the use of envelopes for identification and signature provided by the recipient. Items with an unsuccessful delivery attempt will be stored at the post office with an extended storage period and a notification will be inserted in the mailbox.
In addition, all delivery offices have reduced their working hours (operational until 16.00) and are closed at weekends. All post offices in areas placed under quarantine are closed.
Portugal –Â Â the majority of international and domestic traffic to islands is being sent by boat, having consequently extended delivery times. As the daily capacity is reduced to the minimum flights (one per day), CTT Correios are sending only by air light items (up to 2kg / 5 kg) to Madeira and Azores Islands, however with a considerable backlog. The remaining traffic is sent by boat, both to Azores and Madeira, main islands and forwarding Islands.
Greece –Â owing to quarantine cases, traffic disruption and restrictions, compulsory days off work for health reasons, all as consequences of COVID-19, Hellenic Post faces major difficulties in mail collection and delivery.
Japan – Japan Post’s transportation performance has significantly declined. Therefore, acceptance of international mail items (letter post, parcel post and EMS) by air and S.A.L. for various countries and territories is being temporarily suspended from 2 April . Further details are provided on the Japan Post website at www.post.japanpost.jp/int/information/2020/0401_02_en.html.
Thailand –Â a state of emergency has been declared by the government in order to reduce the risk of the spread of COVID-19. This state of emergency, which applies to the entire country, entails a number of extraordinary measures (such as self-isolation, social distancing, and advising people to work from home), and is in effect from 26 March to 30 April.
This state of emergency may have a severe impact on service quality for international inbound and outbound services, and service delivery standards.
Moreover, owing to the suspension of flights from and to Thailand, and the resulting lack of transport capacity, Thailand Post is currently unable to send mail (letter-post, parcel-post and EMS items) to a growing number of countries. Please visit www.thailandpost.co.th/un/article_detail/article/11/17151 for up-to-date information on the countries concerned.
Slovakia – Slovenská PoÅ¡ta has suspended the collection of a signature on delivery for inbound letter registered mail items that are inserted in the addressee’s mailbox without personal contact with the addressee and information is registered at delivery books. The items that do not fit in the mailbox or items with an unsuccessful delivery attempt will be stored at the delivery post office with an extended storage period in 32 days in total. A notification, including instructions, will be inserted in the mailbox. The same applies to ordinary mail, including small packages.
The exception are inbound letter registered mail items with value added services, such as delivery in person, written proof of delivery, COD service or other additional payments etc., where delivery is suspended and will only be notified. These items will be deposited at the post offices and the customer will receive a notification (announcement to mailbox, electronic notification sent to e-mail or SMS).
In case that customer are in compulsory quarantine or have been diagnosed with COVID – 19, they are required to notify this information to the postman/postwoman or courier in advance, before realisation of first attempt to deliver the postal items or contact to special phone number. The postal items are deposited at delivery post office during the prolonged storage period and the customer in quarantine may wait until the end of the quarantine.
Vatican –Â Poste Vaticane has put in place a skeleton service enabling continuity to be maintained in the provision of essential services.
Poste Vaticane is no longer able to guarantee delivery service standards (delivery times and other quality performance parameters)
Owing to insufficient transport capacity following the cancellation of many international flights, Poste Vaticane is currently unable to transport mail (letter-post and parcel-post items) to a growing number of countries.
Nepal – Nepal has extended the suspension of all incoming international flights until 15 April, and the country is in lockdown until 7 April. These measures are adversely affecting the collection, transmission and delivery of mail items.
Argentina –Â Argentine government has imposed a period of mandatory social isolation until 12 April (inclusive). However, the postal service, as an essential service provider, has been exempted. As a result, Correo Argentino, will remain open for business and will provide its services as well as it can.
Correo Argentino has made arrangements to guarantee the continuation of its key services. Also, as part of health and safety measures, no letter-post, parcel-post or EMS items will require signatures upon delivery. Instead, the postman/postwoman will ask the addressee for a piece of ID and will note down the number in the signature field.
Estonia –Â a state of emergency is provisionally due to last until 1 May.
As a result, Estonian Post can no longer guarantee the service delivery standards (such as delivery times and other quality parameters, transmission of scanning events.
Mauritius – the lockdown has been extended until 15 April. Movements are currently authorized only for specific reasons, such as medical visits and buying food, medicines and other basic necessities, and are subject to strict conditions. Non-essential shops are now closed. Therefore, all post offices nationwide are closed, as the country is on lockdown. All classes of mail will be subject to delays.
Given these new arrangements, all inquiries, including those handled electronically through the Internet-based systems for parcel-post, EMS and registered items, are liable to be disrupted.
Mauritius Post has suspended the collection of a signature on delivery of registered postal items, until further notice.
Severe delays for all outbound and inbound mails are to be expected until sufficient transport capacity becomes available.
Guatemala – the General Directorate of Posts and Telegraphs is operating with 50% of its normal staff until 12 April (subject to extension).
All post offices have been closed, and only home deliveries are being provided by the reduced staff, with appropriate steps taken to protect employees and customers. These measures will result in delays to deliveries, quality of service for all types of inbound and outbound mails is affected, and service delivery standards cannot be guaranteed.
Maldives – work has been suspended in all government offices until 11 April to encourage people to stay at home and limit their movements within the Maldives; access to postal outlets is subject to restrictions, to enable Maldives Post to carry out its activities in compliance with the strict ad hoc measures introduced by the government.
Therefore, Maldives Post is suspending the processing of all inbound and outbound mail until 11 April.
Honduras – the postal service across the entire postal supply chain is suspended until 12 April. An exception may be made for humanitarian aid, which Honducor (Empresa de Correos de Honduras ) is able to process with the knowledge and prior authorization of the Honduran Government.
For this reason, service delivery standards cannot be guaranteed until the situation has returned to normal.
Kazakhstan – all post offices around Kazakhstan are operating as usual, contactless processes have been introduced and hand sanitizers installed.
Currently, mail deliveries and distribution of newspapers and magazines are carrying on as normal. However, given the imposition of quarantine and the restriction of air and train transportation to and from Nur-Sultan and Almaty, delays in mail delivery to all areas are possible.
Colombia –Â there will be significant delays in all of its international inbound and outbound letter-post, parcel-post and EMS services.
- Operations more broadly, including those relating to letter post and parcel post, will be subject to national government measures and restrictions and any changes in the national security situation;
- Mail will no longer be accepted or handled on Saturdays at the mail processing centre in Bogota, nor at regional operational centres;
- Delivery staff will work 50% from Monday to Saturday;
- Temporary measures will be introduced to minimize human contact in the delivery of letter- post, parcel-post and EMS items that would ordinarily require the recipient’s signature.
Italy has implemented further measures with regard to the acceptance and delivery of parcels, in accordance with physical distancing requirements.
- If the addressee cannot be contacted, or in the case of parcels addressed to businesses, cultural institutions, commercial activities and other entities that are temporarily closed in accordance with the Prime Ministerial Decree of 25 March 2020, items can be returned to sender after the first delivery attempt.
The list of the most affected municipalities is updated regularly and is available on the following page of the Poste Italiane website: www.poste.it/emergenza-covid19.html.
Lithuania –Â The Government of Lithuania has decided to extend the nationwide quarantine until April 13.
The quarantine measures include shops being closed with the exception of food stores, pharmacies and online stores delivering items to parcel terminals or via couriers.
To eliminate customer interactions at the door and support physical distancing, Lithuania Post has suspended signature collection on the delivery for inbound letter mail items and is trying to direct parcels to the parcel lockers for the contactless pick up. Courier items are delivered till door and four last digits of recipient’s IDs are collected instead of signature.
Zimbabwe has extended a state of emergency at least until 19th April. A lockdown of all services in the country has been effected, except for a few specified critical utilities that exclude postal services.
In compliance with the lockdown, ZIMPOST is therefore suspending all operations (counter and mail services), including the acceptance and processing of all inbound and outbound mail (letters, parcels and EMS) until the end of the lockdown or any other date announced by the government.
Bolivia –Â in accordance with the quarantine measures imposed by the Government of Bolivia effective from 22 March to 15 April, it is temporarily ceasing all activities