[NHCOLL-L:4870] RE: Don't use DHL to ship

Thu Jul 15 13:07:46 EDT 2010

Hi all,

some might remember my notorious postings regarding import problems of 
scientific material to the EU; the basic information from those postings 
surely apply for many countries worldwide.

At each gateway, different staff is involved, both for export and import 
in the respective countries and at different carriers and customs. Not 
all are trained well or have profound  knowledge of the (IATA) 
regulations, the rest does not know about it (at least it seems so).

The shipping doc should include all relevant information needed for 
clearance precise & clear one *one sheet* of paper, i.e. kind of 
preservation (veterinarians), scientific names of species included 
(customs / animal protection legislation), commercial value (_should 
__be __never __zero_ because there is always a commercial value for the 
material used to pack the specimens even though the specimens itself are 
not traded commercially), and the country of origin (this is never the 
country in which the specimens have been collected, but the country in 
which the respective museum is situated - see attached template).

_*The shipping doc must be packed together with the air waybill in one 
pouch as customs (in some countries) do not open additional pouches on 
the outside of the parcel unless they are clearly marked as to contain 
the shipping docs.*_

80 % of the commercial invoices issued from US museums in the US are - 
sorry - crap, commercial value is 0,- U$, country of origin is Dem. Rep. 
of Congo, Sudan, whatever else, the parcel contains "preserved museum 
specimens", "snakes" (there are some hundred CITES protected snakes). 
This is even more important, if the shipping data is entered 
electronically as for customs clearance normally only the E-dec 
information is used. If the description of the goods reads "samples" or 
"museums specimens", inspection is preprogrammed. I received many 
tracers from FedEx where they tried to clear the parcel while it was 
approaching Frankfurt based on the E-Dec information (which was 
insufficient). So FedEx staff didn't even had the chance to check the 
docs which were attached in the pouch ...

In 99 % there is no copy of the loan form or any statement in the 
shipping doc / commercial invoice from which it would be clear that the 
specimens included are State property of the respective collection.

It lies in the responsibility of the carrier to pick those parcels and 
to hand them to customs (CITES) or vets for inspection to comply with 
the relevant national / international regulations on pest control or 
animal protection for import / export at the respective gateway. So we 
should try to improve our shipping docs and attach them _*accessible on 
the outside*_ so that carrier staff can read them. Elsewise they have no 
choice but must stop those parcels for inspection.

In Deb's case it seems to be different at least starting from the point 
where customs cleared the parcel but DHL tried to return it to Madacascar.

By the way:

FedEx has moved it's Air hub last month from Frankfurt Main to Cologne. 
This might lead to delayed handling and even inspection of parcels 
addressed to Central / Eastern Europe museums which are imported into 
the EC via Cologne. We have inquired the responsible ministry twice last 
year and I have been in close contact with the vets in Cologne early 
this year but did not receive any answer regarding the procedure for 
preserved museum specimens except that vets in Cologne insist on 
inspection of all animal shipments ...

@ Rich, I have been in close contact with Andy Bentley regarding this 
issue and will contribute the necessary from my side on this issue. A 
petition to the European Commission is underway where we seek 
clarifications regarding import of preserved museum specimens into the EC.

All the best
Dirk

In some third world countries they try to make additional money because 
shipments are suddenly identified as HazMat / DGR parcels requiring 
additional (expensive) packing, paperwork, etc.
We experienced this case when trying to export formalin (4%) preserved 
fish from Nicaragua where the DHL office was citing IATA regulations but 
apparently without having a copy of that book ...

Am 15.07.2010 16:45, schrieb Rabeler, Richard:
> Dear Dirk:
>
> Thanks very much for your post.  Although not involved in Deb's situation directly, we are working together on efforts to clarify just what documentation customs inspectors are expecting to find when they encounter parcels of herbarium shipments entering the USA.   We would like to be able to tell colleagues what should be done - much like our colleagues in Australia can do.
>
> Your comment "Customs and especially carrier staff are no allowed to open parcels to retrieve the docs needed for customs clearance" is both interesting and matches the instructions that I have to follow when shipping to Australia and New Zealand.  That would also fit with what Deb found - the list of species was in, but not on, the box.  Many of the parcels that we receive via the post show evidence of being opened at the customs - interesting...
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Rich Rabeler,
> University of Michigan Herbarium
> ________________________________________
> From: owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu [owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Dirk Neumann [Dirk.Neumann at zsm.mwn.de]
> Sent: Thursday, July 15, 2010 9:58 AM
> To: 'DTrock at calacademy.org'; 'NHCOLL-L at LISTS.YALE.EDU'
> Cc: Schneider, Gregory
> Subject: [NHCOLL-L:4868] RE: Don't use DHL to ship
>
> Hi Deb,
>
> if I understood right, your samples were shipped with DHL express ? There is a difference between DHL express and DHL worldpost (the fromer Deutsche Post - that's why I am asking), these are two completely different companies united under the DHL brand name. (DHL worldpost parcels are handed over to and delivered  from USPS inside the US. To my knowledge there haven't been any hold problems with DHL worldpost so far)
>
> I've forwarded your complaint to the DHL headquarters here in Germany. If I don't receive an email answer, I will try to get a direct contact at DHL.
> If available, could you email the tracking number of the shipment ?
>
>
> Could you please also check whether the docs you'd mentioned were added accessible on the outside of the parcel, or not ? Customs and especially carrier staff are no allowed to open parcels to retrieve the docs needed for customs clearance. In many cases there is only a commercial invoice added on the outside, which lacks in many cases the relevant information needed for customs clearance.
>
> All the best
> Dirk
>
>
>
>
> Am 15.07.2010 13:52, schrieb Schneider, Gregory:
> I’ve never had a problem with DHL, especially their customer service.  (Actually, my experience has shown DHL customer service to be outstanding.)  But I’ve had difficulties with U.S. Customs regarding clearing wildlife shipments, and especially regarding customer service.  I think we all know there are at least two sides to the story.  You may have a choice of international shippers, but they all must clear U.S. Customs.  Some ports are better than others.
>
> Greg Schneider
> Division of Reptiles and Amphibians
> Museum of Zoology
> University of Michigan
> Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1079
> 734 647 1927     734 763 4080 (FAX)
> ges at umich.edu<mailto:ges at umich.edu>
>
> From: owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu<mailto:owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu>  [mailto:owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Trock, Debra
> Sent: Wednesday, July 14, 2010 12:58 PM
> To: NHCOLL-L at LISTS.YALE.EDU<mailto:NHCOLL-L at LISTS.YALE.EDU>
> Subject: [NHCOLL-L:4861] Don't use DHL to ship
>
> Dear Colleagues,
>
> We have recently had a horrible problem with DHL that I want to relate to all of you.  We had a visitor coming from Madagascar.  He left 4 large boxes of plants with DHL in Madagascar on July 1, along with the required phytosanitary certificates, export papers and an extremely thorough list of the species enclosed.  The boxes arrived at the Cincinnati DHL hub on July 3rd.  The customs inspector “did not like the look” of the phytosanitary certificate and held up the shipment on July 4th.  On July 7th our departmental Admin. Assistant contacted DHL and they told us the package was on its way to San Francisco.
>
> When it had still not arrived on Monday, July 12 we called DHL again and were told that the shipment was going to be put on a plane back to Madagascar that night.  All the while our visitor, whose sole purpose for coming all this way was to work on those specimens, was here waiting for them.  I spent all day on Monday calling our contacts at USDA, people at DHL,  customs at the Cincinnati airport, and finally, at 10:00 p.m. ET was able to talk to the Ag Specialist customs guy who held the shipment.  When he put a hold on the shipment, DHL was supposed to contact us to let us know, and they never did.  DHL was also supposed to supply the shipping list, which they said they didn’t have, but had been given to them with the phytosanitary certificate.
>
> I sent a species list to the customs agent and he immediately cleared the shipment and told me that he would try to get DHL to put the shipment on the plane Monday night to get it to us.  Once again, DHL did not get it done.  In fact, we called on Tuesday and they assured us that they had received the clearance from customs and that the boxes would be on the plane on Tuesday night.....it was not.  Now they have assured us that it will be on the plane tonight, Wednesday.
>
> This customs agent told me in no uncertain terms and repeated in a later e-mail that DHL is notorious for not contacting shippers and consignees when there is a problem with paperwork......they just don’t do it!!  He further urged me to keep track of these problems and complain.....here is the text of what he said.
>
> “If you have trouble shipping material through DHL, be sure to have everyone involved with the shipment write a complaint letter (paper, not email) to the company.
> Emails just get deleted. Paper letters are more likely to get read, especially if they are sent certified mail.”
>
> > From my verbal conversation with him he indicated that this is a systemic and growing problem with DHL.  I know that some of you prefer to use DHL rather than USPS, but this particular customs agent seemed very emphatic about their shortcomings.
>
> I hope this prevents some of you from having the same problems we’ve had.
>
> Sincerely,
> Deb
>
> Dr. Debra Trock
> Senior Collections Manager
> Botany Department
> California Academy of Sciences
> 55 Music Concourse Drive
> San Francisco, CA 94118
> PH:  415-379-5363
> FAX:  415-379-5737
> dtrock at calacademy.org<mailto:dtrock at calacademy.org>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> Dirk Neumann
>
> Tel: 089 / 8107-111
> Fax: 089 / 8107-300
> email: Dirk.Neumann(a)zsm.mwn.de
>
> Postanschrift:
>
> Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns
> Zoologische Staatssammlung München
> Dirk Neumann, Sektion Ichthyologie / DNA-Labor
> Münchhausenstr. 21
> 81247 München
>
> Besuchen Sie unsere Sammlung:
> http://www.zsm.mwn.de/ich/
>
> ---------
>
> Dirk Neumann
>
> Tel: +49-89-8107-111
> Fax: +49-89-8107-300
> email: Dirk.Neumann(a)zsm.mwn.de
>
> postal address:
>
> Bavarian Natural History Collections
> The Bavarian State Collection of Zoology
> Dirk Neumann, Section Ichthyology / DNA-Lab
> Muenchhausenstr. 21
> 81247 Munich (Germany)
>
> Visit our section at:
> http://www.zsm.mwn.de/ich/
>
>
>
>    

-- 
Dirk Neumann

Tel: 089 / 8107-111
Fax: 089 / 8107-300
email: Dirk.Neumann(a)zsm.mwn.de

Postanschrift:

Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns
Zoologische Staatssammlung München
Dirk Neumann, Sektion Ichthyologie / DNA-Labor
Münchhausenstr. 21
81247 München

Besuchen Sie unsere Sammlung:
http://www.zsm.mwn.de/ich/

---------

Dirk Neumann

Tel: +49-89-8107-111
Fax: +49-89-8107-300
email: Dirk.Neumann(a)zsm.mwn.de

postal address:

Bavarian Natural History Collections
The Bavarian State Collection of Zoology
Dirk Neumann, Section Ichthyology / DNA-Lab
Muenchhausenstr. 21
81247 Munich (Germany)

Visit our section at:
http://www.zsm.mwn.de/ich/

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/private/nhcoll-l/attachments/20100715/70a9aaf4/attachment.html 
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Shipping Doc - Ausleihen ZSM Alkoholmaterial.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 132315 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/private/nhcoll-l/attachments/20100715/70a9aaf4/attachment.pdf 