NEW ZEALAND CLEARING FACILITIES IN AUCKLAND

NEW ZEALAND

SHIPMENT TO

NEW ZEALAND APRIL 2008 :

EXPORTING LCL YOURSELF TO NEW ZEALAND

WHAT CAN HAPPEN HAPPENED TO US :

If you think sending a SMALL CARGO SHIPMENT TO New Zealand is easy guess again as things can go badly wrong- or was it just a mistake --who knows but please read on. In this case TOLLNZ was the Delivery agent on the BIL

One of our staff sent 4cbm (cubic metres) of personal goods to NZ. The discharge port was Tauranga and arrival time was 25th March 2008 but the delivery port was Wellington where the final destination of the goods must go. The goods were delivered to the Shipping Company who shipped the goods to NZ to their agent TOLLNZ or Toll Global Forwarding, 3 Timberley Rd, Mangere. Auckland. The shipment was uplifted in Tauranga then taken back to Auckland whereby the MAF had a hold on the cargo namely a bike and second hand electrical wiring? We are not sure if this was done but then sent to Wellington on the 3rd April. It was further inspected in Wellington on the 10th then ready for release on the 15th.

Please note here the agents MAINFREIGHT cannot uplift the goods from Auckland from TOLLNZ even though they have regular trucking daily to Wellington. They have tried previously to no avail we were told. In Wellington the Customs and MAF again inspected the goods. Our bill on the 8th April was $NZ460 due to TollNZ ( this is same day as the bill arrived)? which contradicts the ready on the 3rd? simply for the part of the exercise of picking up our goods off the ship and delivering to them as they are the agents for the Shipping Company who transported our goods to NZ. This we accept.

We still have to pay our agent and MAF, Customs on top which we understand but the storage is another matter.

With due diligence the bill was paid to TOLLNZ on the 8th April and cleared by TollNZ on the 10th April 2008 yet we were not told the shipment was already in Wellington nor the bill cleared. On the 14th April 2008 our agents Mainfreight went to uplift our cargo only to find TollNZ has again put a hold on this shipment and now tell us to pay a further $NZ90 for storage. We were told Tollnz has this hold not Pengallys? Yes totally confusing. We made an urgent call to TollNZ Auckland office on the 15th April 2008 whose shipment overseer explained to us that our shipment will be released today. She also mentioned that she did not know about the overcharge for storage of $90 which will increase per each day if we do not pay this and resolve this issue but insists the storage has nothing to do with them--Ok fair enough but then ther headaches continued? But its their Wellington agent office so again lack of communication & who actually had the hold. TOLLNZ never even advised our Notifying Party (which are our NZ accountants) of this action for storage fees by them nor emailed us to tell us we have a further payment to make.

Perhaps as they are not responsible so they shouldn't know this? In the meantime our storage fees kept going up so we decided to pay it. Our MAINFREIGHT agents also advised TOLLNZ and never received an answer by them that the shipment was still on hold.

On the other hand Mainfreight said they would use a hiab truck (we specified this) to take our goods off the truck when it reached the delivery stage or destination. Guess what, no hiab & the driver couldn't even take the wooden cases off the truck. A further 2 or our helpers and it was left near the roadside not where we had mapped it out to go on a hilltop close to a house. On top of that we padlocked an Ice box after giving Mainfreight the key. Guess what someone used bolt cutters and no key was left?? This is bad logistics on all sides but a lesson that even in NZ things go badly wrong. Assurancers mean nothing and of cource there is seldom any comeback for small fry exports???

FROM TOLLNZ 15th April 2008:

We have recieved payment for these goods on the 10/04/08 unfortunately I was unaware payment had been made as no one had contacted me to let me know that our acct had been credited, which is why I did not inform pengellys . I have since contacted Sue at Pengellys and have advised that cargo is ok to release.

As for Storage. Goods had a MAF HOLD on the shipment and we had to wait for the MAF Release from Mainfreight before we could move cargo. MAF form was recieved from Mainfreight on the 01 of April and was moved on our Wellington Truck on the 02 April, Cargo was then available in Wellington on the 3rd of April. I m not sure when the MAF Inspection was done but storage started on the 09 April. Therefore we have done our bit to move the cargo to Wellington on a timely manner and will not be liable for any storage due.

Then why weren't we told of this or whoever? and why weren't we sent their bill earlier? Why was TollNZ so slow in responding and why did they not check when the payment to them was made or is it us who should have told them? Did MAF tell Pengallys the shipment is not clear & did Pengallys notify TollNZ to tell Mainfreight OK?

MAINFREIGHT TO TOLLNZ: If the client paid your charges TOLLNZ on the 10th April , why did you still have a hold on the goods on the 14th. MAF also cleared the shipment on the 10th. I got the TollNZ hold removed, by getting someone else in your office to send Pengellys your DO. Storage charges should only be one day. But then Mainfreight had plenty of time to clear and deliver ewith clear instructions but the logistics were just as bad?

Will we refer our clients to these companies ------ - - - - - - -like hell ???

We asked for an itemized account and never received one? We asked why we are up for storage charges when they should have actioned clearance once their bill was paid---not their responsibility? Our Mainfreight agents requests for release were also not acknowledged we were told? We would like to know why our shipment was in Wellington on the 3rd and why noone was notified as such? Now whose to blame for this stuff up? This is just to let readers know what can happen due to lack of communication between shipping & transport logistics parties. We will certainly be careful in future shipping into NZ & bypass agents like this so be warned

It cost us more than we anticipated as well as our time for a simple LCL shipment of 4cbm to NZ that took approx 21 days to clear???.

OPTIONS SENDING SHIPMENTS TO WELLINGTON NEW ZEALAND

Before you send goods to NZ ask MAF (Ministry of Agricuture and Fisheries ) email: info@maf.govt.nz and website is: http://www.maf.govt.nz/mafnet/index.htm the alternatives to have your goods inspected if MAF needs to inspect. Remember all wood products, agricuture machinery, cars etc and crates must be inspected so have these up the front so you don't pay to have the whole container devanned.

We publish to make others aware of who they are dealing with and it can happen to anyone but NZ heck you weould think they would be onto it???

 Our recommendations sending goods to NZ:
1/. Have insurance and ask to watch the repacking process.
2/. If items are stolen notify the company which really is a waste of time but do it anyway and also file a report of the items stolen to the NZ Police, & maybe express your concerns to the press.They will love it.
3/. Keep a record and itemize everything in the shipment & itemize all goods going back into the container when you inspect or use an agent.The Packing list is very important.
4/. If you are a foreigner file to the NZ Embassy any problems ans demand a reply.
Note how your goods are loaded and examine all items from your packing list on discharge
5/. Send us an email so we can tell others to beware.

6/. ASK MAF for alternate facilities to inspect and what are your options and where else can you have inspections carried out.

7/. Take photos of your goods

8/. When shipping ask the shipper who will ship the goods to NZ (Shipping Line) & who will be the Delivery Agent in NZ. If this agent is different from your own then you will pay a delivery fee of anywhere around $460NZ basically a service charge. Always liase with the agent as you could be charged storage fees. You also need to have the notifying party on the BIL (Bill of Lading) and please ask your agent in NZ to notify you of the Shipping Company who they are agents for so this goes on the BIL to avoid double costs.

NZ Embassy Bangkok Thailand: email: nzisbkk@ksc.th.com

NEW ZEALAND WHARFSECURITY at its worst or best???.

[ What you will pay for your Container]

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