Mandatory sanitary inspection at the port of arrival is the best measure to prevent pandemics among port employees or further afield in a timely manner.
Below, you will figure out who the Health Authority officials are and what responsibilities they have to help you with the right services.
Health authorities control
Port health authorities are one of the primary instances where the freight forwarder must be notified that its vessel has arrived at the port of destination. The main task of port health authorities is to check the vessel for infectious diseases.
A health certificate is mandatory for imports. It is provided as an approval of the safety of a certain quantity of specific goods. Import control is carried out strictly according to the classification of goods specified in the documents. Specifically, including classes of dangerous goods, which you should be familiar with by following the link.
Upon arrival of the cargo at the port, a manifest, a copy of the Bill of Lading, or similar documentation indicating the quantity and classification of the goods must be provided. Sometimes the safety monitoring of goods may involve checking the ingredients, which you will be asked to provide for approval by the port health authorities.
Having ruled out any infection on board the vessel, port health officials issue a Free Pratique, a document that allows the crew to disembark freely and port operators to proceed with further unloading and handling of the cargo without hindrance.
Why can my cargo be delayed?
Doubts about the safety and absence of diseases carried with your cargo are grounds for detaining goods in the port. This is necessary to collect samples of biomaterials contained in the containers with your cargo. At the stage of importing goods into another region or country, it is critical to ensure that the goods are safe, for example, for consumption or use by humans and animals. In this way, the degree of risk is determined, especially if you are shipping goods from the list of goods prohibited in a particular region.
Taking into account unforeseen circumstances such as delays in the port, you should always be prepared and informed about them. To monitor the movement of cargo, you need to track its location, which has become even more convenient with the Tracking System providing detailed information about your containers on a real-time world map.
How to undergo health control at the port?
Knowing the responsibilities of port health authorities, it is necessary to determine how health checks are carried out in the port. Such control is divided into three stages:
1. Documentary stage
Foremost, the sanitary inspection of cargo begins with checking the authenticity of medical certificates or any laboratory tests. These safety confirmation documents are checked against the cargo documentation data to ensure that the documents are genuine and match the specific cargo in a certain quantity.
All shipments must undergo this stage of inspection. The mandatory nature of further sanitary control measures is determined and applied in accordance with inspection quotas.
2. Identity stage
At the next stage, measures will be taken to approve the information provided in the medical certificate. The authenticity of the seals on the containers is checked, and the cargo and packaging of the goods are inspected. Also, port health authority officials should check the labeling and health markings.
3. Physical stage
This stage involves taking measures to physically inspect the goods by opening the packaging. The purpose is to make sure that the product is indeed on the certified list and is safe for human and animal consumption or use. Samples of the goods are taken for laboratory examination or organoleptic assessment of the product (smell, taste, and sight), as necessary.
Conclusion
Health authorities at the port could provide additional inspections, or you could get extra charges due to any initially insignificant detail in the documentation or packaging of your cargo. You are always welcome to contact our Customer Support team for full guidance on your shipment.
It is worth taking advantage of experienced logistics professionals to facilitate your supply chain operations. Once you've got the best freight rate for your route, SeaRates will provide you with support, from the careful planning of the shipment to the successful completion of every step of the logistics campaign.
Contact us at logistics@searates.com for assistance with any shipping requirements.
