Zika risk forces China to implement new fumigation rules for freight

China is putting in place new rules around the fumigation of U.S. ocean export containers in an effort to stop the spread of the Zika virus.

Chinese authorities, in particular the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China (AQSIQ) said in March 2016 that containers from certain countries must have effective anti-mosquito treatments before entering China.

This means exporters have to fumigate and provide a certificate to confirm that the cargo is mosquito-free before it enters China.  If exporters can’t provide the certificate, the buyer has to carry out a fumigation of the cargo on arrival at the port of destination.

When China first announced the requirement to fumigate containers from 40 countries and regions in March 2016, the U.S. was not on the list. With Zika-carrying mosquitos recently found in parts of the U.S., the change of rules means that the U.S. has now been added to the list.

A move like this could cause delays and increased costs for U.S. exporters who are looking to ship goods to China, and many brokers won’t be able to react as quickly or as confidently as Livingston.

If you are impacted by this, our Livingston Freight representatives are well-versed in fumigation requirements and can help make the necessary arrangements.