R E G U L AT I O N S Prepare for new rules on container cleanliness An update on proposed international regulations for mitigating the risks posed by pests and contamination of shipping containers, by Marie-Pascale Frix, FIDI Business Intelligence Manager D Marie-Pascale Frix, FIDI Business Intelligence Manager uring the past two years, the issue of invasive, damaging pest species being inadvertently transferred between countries by global goods shipments has risen higher up the agenda. Invasive species that migrate from one location to another can lead to the extinction of plants and animals, reduce biodiversity, and cause irreversible change to native habitats. A September 2023 report by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services puts the global costs to society at US$423bn every year. The report also assesses existing measures to limit the transfer of pests through international sea trade as poorly managed. Some governments and shipping authorities, including the World Shipping Council (WSC), have already called for regulations to tighten current rules on container cleanliness; accordingly, a change is increasingly likely. This may include the introduction of measures ranging in severity from the drafting of straightforward voluntary guidelines to the introduction of a new International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures process like that currently in force for international movements of wood that will impose strict rules for cleanliness, loading standards, and a declaration of cleanliness from the shipper/loader for every container dispatched. Most agree that some kind of change is inevitable, and will increase the cost of shipping as a result. With around 250 million container movements around the world every year, it is critical that any new laws imposed mitigate the risk of pest infestations, but are proportional and reasonable to the impact on shipping and related industries. The international removal and relocation industry became actively involved in this issue more than two years ago, when FIDI and IAM agreed to work together to represent the interests of the sector with a single coordinated voice. They published a joint statement on their position in December 2021. The Australian International Movers Association (AIMA) introduced them to the Global Shippers Forum (GSF), which had been representing its own membership on this issue and become part of the international taskforce set up by International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC). The associations have been working closely together on a resolution. A moderate stance FIDI Secretary General Jesse van Sas says: FIDI and IAM have jointly agreed to support the GSFs moderate stance on this issue, calling for voluntary, rather than mandatory, measures to reduce the transfer of pests throughout the supply chain and container pathway process, and advocating for a simplified version of the principle of custodial responsibility (which requires each stakeholder in the supply chain to inspect and clean the container before passing the box on to the next stakeholder). This should focus on pest-preventing actions at the origin of a shipment (bugs should remain at home) and be supported with communications to ensure all stakeholders understand the risks associated with moving invasive pests. Its important that these measures should not hold legal liability for any company in the broader shipping community as many of the IPPC member countries may choose to adopt regulations based on the final CPM [Commission on Phytosanitary Measures] guidelines, which are expected to be issued in 2024. IAM President Brian Limperopulos says: We are grateful to the Global Shipping Forum for its leadership and coordination on this issue. Due to the complexities of the shipping industry, there is no one-size-fits-all approach that can work for all stakeholders, but each group can do their part to prevent the spread of pests in sea containers. According to AIMA Chairman Philip Gordon, as the WSC which represents 95 per cent of shipping companies is hoping to see an outcome where shipping lines and container owners are not required to do anything to contribute to resolution of the problem, finding consensus between different parties on this issue hasnt always been straightforward. This is not a simple matter, and trying to get agreement from multiple countries and other interested parties is a really tough ask, he says. Shipping lines have a vested interest in keeping the status quo and 64 FF312 Dec_Feb 23 pp64-66 Clean.indd 64 11/12/2023 15:51