ISPM 15 is a regulation pertaining to wood packaging that is used for international shipments. ISPM 15 regulations were first established in 2002; over 100 countries have agreed to conform to this regulation via a treaty. The regulation is aimed at preventing the transport of insects from a native...
Packnet has written several posts about the Panama Canal expansion project and its potential impact on US shipping infrastructure. This post is an update to the latest developments and answers some common questions: What is the Panama Canal Expansion? The Panama Canal expansion project consists of creating another lane of traffic...
The alleged west ports slow down is causing congestion, pain and lots of finger pointing. The issue is that contract negotiations between the Maritime port employers and the longshoremen workers are dragging on with no apparent resolution in sight. The International Longshore and Warehouse Union have been working without a...
What is dunnage? The simplest definition is that dunnage is a piece of wood used for blocking, bracing or support. It is not viewed as an integral part of the wood packaging system. Dunnage requires a separate stamp DUN_HT on at least two sides of each piece. For international...
The Ebola epidemic in Africa, with 2 cases now reported in the US has brought a lot of attention on disease transmission. There have been several virus outbreaks in foreign countries that have posed threats to the US. The SARS breakout in 2002 and the China Avian Influenza (H7N9)...
Reusable containers that are ultimately recyclable is the ideal situation for green packaging. Packnet has a number of reusable packaging products that are strong, waterproof, stackable, collapsible and ultimately recyclable when reaching its end of life. Reusable packaging concepts assume that returning the package is feasible. Shipping containers are very...
The Pacific Maritime Association, which represents the West Coast port employers and the International Long shore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) have been in contract negotiations for over 2 months. These two groups together involve over 29 West Coast ports. While there has been no indication that contract talks are...
Air cargo as a freight option has historically been 12-16 times greater than sea transport and 4-5 times greater than road transport. Yet according to an article in World Trade T100, air cargo needs serious consideration when contemplating freight transport strategies. The main advantage of air cargo is speed, and...
Many types of woods can be susceptible to mold. Most people are concerned about mold in their homes. Mold can grow on cloth, carpets, tiles and wood. Shippers and packagers of products are also concerned about mold and its affect on the packaged product or whether mold on a...
There is some good news and bad news on the invasive insect front. The good news is that according to a study by the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) the incidence rate of infestation in international wood packaging materials has dropped significantly since the adaption of...