Latest News from Omni

On 1st July 2016 the amendments to the SOLAS (International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea) regulations, came into force requiring all shippers to provide a Verified Gross Mass (VGM) for each container.  To help shippers, a collaboration of authoritative organisations –  the World Shipping Council (WSC), the TT Club, the International Cargo Handling Coordination Association (ICHCA), and the Global Shippers’ Forum (GSF) – have jointly released a second Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document.

The supplementary FAQs seek to provide further assistance in explaining the SOLAS VGM requirements by building on existing guidance material. They explain in more detail how the SOLAS container VGM requirements should be fulfilled in various circumstances and give additional information regarding the two methods that may be used to obtain the VGM of a packed container.  

Shippers are urged to continue to approach any of the collaborating organizations with additional questions if necessary.  Contact details of subject-matter experts from each of the organizations can be found at the end of the FAQs document. 

Container safety is a shared responsibility, and all parties have an interest in improving the safety of ships, their crews and others throughout the containerized supply chain while reducing the risk of damage to cargo.  

The FAQs document can be accessed at: 

http://www.worldshipping.org/industry-issues/safety/faqs

From 28 days ago it is presenting a stoppage of cargo transport carriers in Colombia, which has intensified in recent days causing delays in transferring cargo to and from the ports.

The government and conveyors continue at the negotiating table trying to reach an agreement that allows lift this strike.

Aviomar is working normally but in this situation we have seen the need to leave some household goods in our warehouse and the port until the situation normalizes, which can cause delays in sending export shipments and extra costs in port for imports, which will try to minimize.

We appreciate your understanding and we will inform you as soon as the situation is completely resolved.

Derek Payne died on 18th May 2016, he was 82 years old.  

He joined the moving industry in 1966 working for Brewer & Turnbull and Whites Removals.  Most of his working life, however, was spent with Robinsons where he stared as a manager eventually becoming MD of the whole company, and Peter Robinson’s right-hand man. In 1978 Robinsons bought the Coxeter name in Abingdon which came with a couple of warehouses, on in a farm building and one in a brewery.  Derek took up residence and ran the company which gave Robinsons its base in the town. “Derek did virtually everything at that time,” said Peter Robinson. “He worked very hard, was loyal and absolutely determined to be successful.”  At acquisition the company had just six men; by 1987 there were 70 on the payroll and Coxeters had become the largest subsidiary of Robinsons.

Derek was the President of BAR in 1987 having been installed at the conference in Stratford on Avon.  Rob Syers was the BAR General Secretary at the time. “He was committed to the industry and a stickler for detail,” he said, “some might say pedantic.”  But that ability was put to good use for the benefit of the whole industry as Derek was involved with the development of ISO 12522 right from the beginning.  “He always wanted to do things right,” said Rob.  “He was held in very high respect and was rock solid, he never missed a Board meeting.”

After retiring from the day-to-day business Derek continued his connection with the industry with charitable work as Chairman of the BAR’s Removers Benevolent Fund (RBA) where he was renowned for absolute fairness.  Derek’s funeral was well attended by representatives of the moving industry and BAR that he had served so well for so long. 

Photo: Derek Payne, BAR President 

OMNI would like to thank Jenny Xu at Asian Tigers Mobility for providing the following update…

“In November 2015 Shanghai Customs started to enforce an existing rule for foreign passport holders.  Only long term transferees (with either work or residence permit valid over 365 days) are allowed to import household goods into Shanghai.  Recently, Shanghai customs started to apply the same rule for outbound sea shipments.  While they have previously accepted to clear shipments with permits valid for 10-12 months plus an explanation letter from the company in China, this is no longer the case.

All clients with permits valid less than 365 days are now treated as“short term assignments”and are therefore only allowed to include basic household items, such as clothes, kitchenware, etc. in their shipments.  Items that are no longer allowed include all types of furniture, food & electronics (i.e. TVs, video camera, HIFI systems and speakers, lamps, refrigerator, washer/dryer, desktop computer etc.)

The above does not apply for clients with short term permits if they had previous permits issued over 365 days with no interruption to the current one.

We will continue to monitor the situation.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact the undersigned at jenny.xu@asiantigers-china.com.”