From the outside, crates used for international shipments may appear to be not much different from crates used for domestic shipments. Wooden crate, delivery info and a pick-up label, right? Not so. A closer look reveals a number of requirements beyond a domestic shipping crate.
Crates used for international shipments must meet regulatory requirements and protect the contents from the physical stresses they are subjected to during transport to other countries.
SPECIALIZED TREATMENT OF SHIPPING MATERIALS PROTECTS WORLD ECOSYSTEMS
They must be constructed using treated wood to eliminate the risk of transporting and spreading diseases and insects that could damage plant life and ecosystems in destination countries. The wood used in construction of international crates must be heat treated to eliminate these threats.
The International Plant Protection Convention has defined the International Standards For Phytosanitary Measures No. 15 (ISPM 15) which specifies the treatments required to protect the wood. Wood material in thickness greater than 6 millimeters used for crating must be heat treated to a core temperature of approximately 133 degrees Fahrenheit for a period of 30 minutes. The heat treatment destroys any insects and diseases harbored in the wood. Currently more than 78 countries enforce this environmental shipping regulation.
REGULATORY COMPLIANCE AND CERTIFICATION CRUCIAL FOR PROTECTION
To comply with this regulation Craters and Freighters Greater Milwaukee buys ISPM-15 certified wood materials from a distributor certified to heat treat and sell wood crating materials for international shipments. To maintain the integrity of the process Craters and Freighters Greater Milwaukee is randomly inspected every month to verify wood used for international shipments is isolated from other wood materials intended for domestic shipments. The inspection is conducted by Package Research Laboratory (PRL) representing the American Lumber Standards Committee which is the governing agency for the ISPM-15 program within the United States.
Contingent upon compliant usage of heat treated wood and continuous passing random inspections, Craters and Freighters is provided a registered stamp to provide proof of ISPM-15 compliance on the outside of all international shipment crates. The stamp features a unique number assigned to Craters and Freighters. Upon arrival at the foreign port of destination, the stamp number enables quick tracing of the wood back to the US source of origin to confirm the crate wood is compliant.
PROTECTION BEYOND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS
Beyond the ecosystems of the world, Craters and Freighters also protects the contents inside the crate. If the shipment is ocean going or particularly sensitive to moisture, vapor barrier packaging may be utilized. This method of packaging uses a foil bag from which all air is removed by suction immediately followed by heat sealing of the bag.
Specialized engineering services are available for intermodal transportation. Large machinery will require creation of an engineered custom crate and base able to withstand lifting by ship and port cranes.
Beyond the physical crating requirements, Craters and Freighters can provide a final layer of protection — coordination of all customs documentation, brokerage fees and duties to ensure your shipment quickly clears customs.
TOTAL PROTECTION FROM CRATERS AND FREIGHTERS GREATER MILWAUKEE
From environmental impacts to protection from physical harm, Craters and Freighters Greater Milwaukee delivers turnkey international shipment services providing multiple layers of protection.