[NHCOLL-L:4662] RE: DHL again

Thu Jan 7 05:05:14 EST 2010

Greg,

regarding shipping to the US, some Museums in Europe don't have a choice 
but must send with DHL (either DHL Express or DHL Worldpost - these are 
to different companies) for budgetary reasons or because of existing 
(HazMat) contracts with DHL, e.g. for sending alcohol specimens or tissues.

The main problem seems to be insufficient E-Dec entries by carrier staff 
prior to the entry of the specimens into the US and/or the European 
Community. But you may try to claim the costs DHL is charging for the 
clearance. We have a similar problem here with superfluous Vet 
inspections (consignee is charged with 80,- EUR), even though all 
necessary docs are with the shipment (or in case of material returned 
from loan to European Collections - animal material originating from the 
EU is by no means to be inspected again by the Vets). This a staff and 
not a carrier related problem, as in many cases the attached data from 
the shipping docs are entered fragmentary or simply wrong into the 
specific carrier E-dec system. So far, our claims against DHL, and FedEx 
have been successful.

As Andy already pointed out, alcohol samples (tissues or specimens) in 
regular mail are strictly forbidden. If discovered, the sender is not 
only fined, but has to arrange the pick-up and further transport of the 
discovered specimens - wheresoever this location may be. In the worst 
case, the material is destroyed.

Moreover, cases have been reported from Italy last year that customs 
refused entry of preserved insect specimens because of European new 
veterinarian stipulations: since 2006, insect larvae have been 
identified as carriers for animal pests. Therefore, all shipments 
containing "insects" must be inspected. But the new legislation fails to 
determine what exactly the veterinarians should inspect, which results - 
in the best case - that the material either arrives at the consignee or 
is returned to the shipper - in the worst - that the material is 
destroyed. Obviously, this is critical for all shipments being sent to 
Italy. Some recent shipments from colleagues abroad were sent to 
European colleagues outside Italy and then forwarded with surface mail, 
to avoid any troubles at the Italian customs ... An option, but not a 
solution for the problem.

Dirk

Bentley, Andrew Charles schrieb:
>
> Greg
>
> As Ellen has outlined, I am not sure there is any way around this. As 
> far as I can tell the procedure is as follows. The package arrives in 
> the country and goes to a holding area while paperwork is completed 
> (for those that need it). All wildlife packages (that are flagged as 
> such – some make it through because they are not identified as such) 
> require that paperwork gets completed. Here lies the rub. The 
> paperwork needs to be submitted to a different location and is done 
> electronically so even if there is a 3-177 with the package they need 
> to redo this electronically. Any package that is then flagged will get 
> inspected (my feeling is that very few ever do get physically 
> inspected or opened).
>
> So, it appears for now that we have no recourse but we can smooth the 
> process some. I have gotten in the habit of providing 3-177’s for 
> everything international and sending a copy to senders of incoming 
> material for inclusion in the shipping pouch. At least then DHL, FedEx 
> or UPS do not have to go looking for the necessary information when 
> they electronically file and we can be fairly sure that the 
> electronically filed version will match our version. E-decs is a good 
> idea (although I have had nothing but heartache with this system and 
> so still file manually by pdf every 180 days) but should never be a 
> substitute for a paper copy in the shipping pouch for this reason.
>
> Ellen mentioned sending the materials by regular mail. Unfortunately, 
> as yet, this is not an option for anything containing dangerous goods 
> as we well know. This may change in the near future but until then we 
> will have to continue with the procedures in place and make do as much 
> as possible.
>
> I am hoping that after the dangerous goods and country specific issues 
> have been resolved (SPNHC is at present beginning to tackle – or at 
> least starting to collate all known information on - the latter) that 
> this will be our next big issue to take on. Ellen has begun to tackle 
> this and maybe we can take it further and attempt to resolve these issues.
>
> Andy
>
> A : A : A :
> }<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<(((_°>
> V V V
> Andy Bentley
> Ichthyology Collection Manager/Specify Usability Lead
> University of Kansas
> Natural History Museum & Biodiversity Research Center
> Dyche Hall
> 1345 Jayhawk Boulevard
> Lawrence, KS, 66045-7593
> USA
>
> Tel: (785) 864-3863
> Fax: (785) 864-5335
> Email: ABentley at ku.edu
>
> A : A : A :
> }<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<(((_°>
> V V V
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> *From:* owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu 
> [mailto:owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu] *On Behalf Of *Watkins-Colwell, 
> Gregory
> *Sent:* Monday, January 04, 2010 10:22 AM
> *To:* nhcoll-L at lists.yale.edu
> *Subject:* [NHCOLL-L:4655] DHL again
>
> A while ago we had some discussion about DHL and USFWs (Sorry for the 
> non-US folks.. this may not be too interesting).
>
> Right now, this very second, I have an incoming package coming to U.S. 
> from Italy. DHL is holding it until US Fish and Wildlife can clear it. 
> The package contains tissue samples of a non-CITES lizard species. DHL 
> wants me to tell them all the answers to all the spots on the 3-177 so 
> they can do the clearance. Yet, I can do the clearance for FREE and I 
> have 180 days to do it. DHL will charge us a fee for doing the 3-177 
> for me and says they have to do it before delivering it.
>
> Is there a way to get DHL to STOP doing this? I’ve written them, 
> called them, faxed them and e-mailed them. But nobody that I talk to 
> there seems to know the answer and none of them seems to have any clue 
> about wildlife or the forms (i.e. the package says right on it all the 
> information they need… even the shipping invoice that they faxed me 
> has all the answers!)
>
> Any suggestions?
>
> Greg
>
> --------------------------------------
>
> Gregory J. Watkins-Colwell
>
> Division of Vertebrate Zoology
>
> Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History
>
> 170 Whitney Avenue, Box 208118
>
> New Haven, CT 06520
>
> 203/432-3791 or fax: 203/432-2874
>
> -----------------------------------
>