Below is a quick overview of events around the world that may cause delays to the delivery of your international mail.
Civil Unrest within Main UK Cities
As reported widely on both National TV and Press, a number of cities across the UK have experienced a considerable amount of civil unrest during the past 2-3 days.
Fortunately, to date, the effect on our operations has been very limited. However, we have taken action in order to ensure our service to our customers remains at the highest possible level whilst maintaining a safe and secure workforce.
At present, only a small number of our local depot operations have been affected by the civil unrest and subsequent disruption, these being Croydon, Enfield and London City. There is also a perceived risk of the following locations being adversely affected: London Heston, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester Bredbury, Manchester Trafford Park, Park Royal and Luton, although, with the very unpredictable nature of the unrest, other locations around the country cannot be discounted.
A full contingency plan has been brought into effect to minimise the disruption to our operation and to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our employees and our customers’ goods. Our teams across the country are empowered to carry out dynamic risk assessment as the circumstances demand.
To track and trace the status of your consignment click here.
Strategic Trade Act 2010 by Malaysian Government
From 1 July 2011, the Malaysian government will enforce the Strategic Trade Act 2010 with the objective to control the export, transshipment, transit and brokering of strategic items, including arms and related material, and other activities that will or may facilitate the design, development and production of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their delivery systems.
With the enforcement of this act, shippers are required to obtain a permit to export, transship, transit or brokering of any strategic items. In order to comply with this act and not to disrupt the delivery of the shipments, we encourage our customers to learn more about STA 2010.
Failure to comply with this act will result in the delay of your shipments’ and violation to this act can be subjected to a fine, imprisonment and/or death sentence as provided in the STA 2010.
The strategic items/products are categorized as follows :
• Category 0 : Nuclear materials, facilities and equipment
• Category 1 : Special materials and related equipment
• Category 2 : Materials Processing
• Category 3 : Electronics
• Category 4 : Computers
• Category 5 : Telecommunications and information security
• Category 6 : Sensors and lasers
• Category 7 : Navigation and avionics
• Category 8 : Marine
• Category 9 : Aerospace and Propulsion
• Category 10 : Military items
For detailed information on STA 2010, please visit MITI’s official website at http://www.miti.gov.my/ or click this link Miti_STA 2010.
Or you can also contact Miti at :
Strategic Trade Secretariat
Ministry of International Trade and Industry
Block 8, Government Offices Complex,
Jalan Duta, 50622 Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia.
Location Map
Tel: 603-6205 2612 / 2602 / 2279
Email: admin.sts@miti.gov.my
We seek co-operation from our customers to ensure the compliance with this act.
All non-document shipments for export must have 3 copies of commercial invoice and a consignment note.
Please indicate on all the 3 copies of commercial invoice and on the TNT Consignement Note (under Section 9: Special Delivery Instructions) the following information :
A) "STA Permit No. : (followed by the number)" - for shipments containing strategic item(s).
or
B) "Non-STA Goods" - for shipments without strategic item(s).
Thank you for choosing TNT and please be assured of our ongoing commitment in providing you with the highest possible standards of service quality.
Your business is very important to us, and we always seek to serve you better. Sure we can.
VOLCANIC ASH UPDATE
25 May 2011 – 12:00 NOON CET
The Iceland volcano Grimsvötn has stopped erupting. The European air safety organisation Eurocontrol today said the ash cloud could affect Berlin and also parts of Poland today. However, airports in Germany south of Bremen are not expected to be affected. There are no restrictions on flights in any other part of Europe. According to the Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) in London, the ash cloud coverage will dissipate during the day.
As expected yesterday, the ash cloud impacted parts of Iceland, Scotland, Sweden, Latvia and northern Germany. Last night and this morning, TNT Express, like other airlines, could not operate flights to Edinburgh (Scotland), Stavanger (Norway) and Gothenburg (Sweden).
In coordination with its customers, TNT Express has rolled out contingency plans to re-route Edinburgh-bound flights to East-Midlands and Gothenburg-bound flights to Oslo. TNT Express completes the linehaul legs by road. TNT’s service to and from the US is expected to return to a normal schedule shortly.
The actual impact of the eruption on TNT Express’ operations has been limited. The company’s air hub in Liege is fully operational. Although we do not expect any major disruption to our service during the next days, we are keeping a close eye on the situation together with the aviation authorities.
Myanmar - 23rd May, 2011
Effective today, Monday the 23rd of May, 2011, TNT has suspended all trading to and from Myanmar.
This means that the Myanmar country website has been closed down and the country removed as a location option from TNT shipping tools, so that Myanmar can no longer be selected during a booking or quotation from TNT customer service.
Shipments made to Myanmar prior to the 23rd of May will be delivered until the 31st of May at the latest. Shipments received in Myanmar after the 31st of May will be returned to sender as undelivered.
Cessation of cash shipments drop-off at TNT Malaysia offices
25 April 2011
With effect from 25 April 2011, TNT Malaysia has stopped accepting shipments at all its facilities nationwide from walk-in customers who are without a TNT trading account.
However, these customers can call our Customer Service hotline at 1300-882-882 to arrange for pick-up or to open a trading account with TNT.
This change does not affect our customers who have trading accounts with TNT.
Japan - update : Update on nuclear energy plant event
30 March 2011
TNT Express is monitoring the situation daily, as Japanese authorities try to contain radiation leakages from the damaged Fukushima plant, located 240 km north of Tokyo.
TNT’s main concerns are the safety of its employees and the integrity of its customers’ consignments. At this stage, radiation levels in and South of Tokyo, where TNT Japan operates the bulk of its activities, are considered safe according to official government figures. TNT Express is following the recommendations of Japanese officials, the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and undertakes all necessary measures to ensure security.
Many countries have taken safety measures to test and restrict Japanese food imports. These tests occasionally extend to other kinds of goods. Where this may occur, TNT is and will be working with the relevant airport and security authorities. As soon as consignments have passed through these extended security checks, TNT will arrange their immediate delivery.
Low amounts of radiation believed to be from the Fukushima plant have been detected in other countries, including China, the Philippines, Thailand, the US and the UK. Those amounts were far below what the World Health Organisation considers a health risk, said national health authorities.
Update on operations in Japan
TNT Express has suspended service within Japan’s radiation zone around the Fukushima power plant but operates normally outside the exclusion zone. This includes all air export and import services, clinical express services, and ground deliveries in areas not impacted by the earthquake. Fuel supplies have returned to normal. The international gateways of Tokyo Narita, Tokyo Haneda and Osaka/Kansai are operational.
TNT’s gratitude goes to its employees in Japan who have worked miracles to keep operations running despite health worries, repeated aftershocks, and disruptions in power and public transport. In addition, they have been instrumental in delivering 70,000 blankets to the Red Cross and displaced people in the worst-hit areas of Japan on behalf of the World Food Programme.
“We really appreciate the opportunity to help our country during this disaster! We are filled with pride that we are doing this, both as ambassadors of TNT as well as citizens of Japan,” said Tadashi Kodaira, Country General Manager of TNT Japan.
To track and trace your consignment(s) please click here for more detailed information.
Screening & Embargo of shipments from Yemen
31 October 2010
TNT has put an embargo on all shipments from Yemen, as requested by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and fully cooperates with any required examination of shipments.
Shipments originating from Yemen in the same time frame are being quarantined in Dubai or Liege until cleared.
Shipments originating from Yemen that are handled by TNT are always pass through Dubai, where they are screened and xrayed. TNT does not operate dedicated flights to/from Yemen.
As an international air carrier with inbound flights to the U.S., TNT Airways applies strict security measures in cooperation with transportation security officials.
Summary of recent developments as at 30 October 2010
Officials in the U.K. and Dubai have intercepted two packages originating from Yemen, which were bound for Chicago, United States. Both packages contained explosives. One package, found at the UK's East Midlands Airport, contained a "manipulated" toner cartridge with wires and a circuit board on it, a law enforcement source said. A similar package set to be shipped on a cargo plane was discovered in Dubai, the law enforcement source and Dubai officials said.
The discovery triggered examinations of three cargo planes that landed in Philadelphia and in Newark, New Jersey. An airline passenger plane was escorted by fighter jets to New York because of concerns about a package from Yemen on board. Nothing suspicious was found on the planes, according to the FBI.
For the latest international news: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/