`Positive outcomes’ from EIDO meeting

<p>A meeting on Tuesday (February 13) in Sydney of industry representatives appears to have produced some measures to address issues that have arisen since the introduction of the Electronic Import Delivery Order (EIDO) process.</p> <p>Customs Brokers and Forwarders Council of Australia representatives met with Shipping Australia Limited, the Sydney Ports Cargo Facilitation Committee, DP World, Patrick Stevedoring, 1-Stop Connections, Tradegate and the New South Wales Road Transport Association (representing national road carriers) to hammer out the issues.</p> <p>Paul Zalai, the CBFCA’s manager freight and business operations, said that from the association’s perspective, the meeting had achieved some positive outcomes.</p> <p>In line with established freight forwarder user requirements, SAL will put forward a recommendation to its members that one pin per container be generated. </p> <p>Detailed communications outlining current and future gate &#47 Vehicle Booking Systems (VBS) processes will be developed by stevedores. These will be released to all affected stakeholders. </p> <p>Appropriate pin security arrangements are in place between the shipping line and the stevedore. </p> <p>Mr Zalai said that in relation to pin security between shipping lines and freight forwarders and customs brokers, preliminary discussions indicated a preference to provide delivery orders with pins as a PDF attachment to an email, rather than providing hard copy delivery orders with associated pins to couriers or other third parties.</p> <p>This process would be determined by each individual shipping line, he said.</p> <p>Liability issues are to be further examined in the context of potential pin data misuse and contingency procedures as established by the stevedores and 1-Stop are to be released to all affected stakeholders. </p> <p>A working group, made up of interested parties, will monitor EIDO implementation with the relevant shipping lines and address remedial issues as required.</p> <p>The CBFCA has advised its members that during the interim period of parallel processing of EIDO and deliver orders, shipping lines commencing the use of EIDO will continue to issue delivery orders (either in hard copy, PDF etc). The delivery order will also incorporate the EIDO pin number. </p> <p>Transport operators can continue their existing practice of booking slots within the VBS and use a hard copy of the delivery order for container release purposes. </p> <p>In these circumstances, stevedore staff will enter the pin details (as recorded on the delivery order) direct into their system to reconcile with pin data provided by the shipping lines. </p> <p>Alternatively, transport operators can pre-enter the pin data direct into the VBS and therefore remove the need to submit any paperwork at the stevedore. </p> <p>&#41392The benefit for transport operators is that it will reduce turn around times within the terminal and will dovetail into other initiatives aimed to generate further logistics efficiencies, &#41393 Mr Zalai said. </p> <p>Stevedores also advised that the VBS would have the necessary flexibility to allow users to change slot bookings and use the originally issued pin. </p> <p>Until further notice, hard copy delivery orders will continue to be required for the purpose of de-hiring empty containers.&#8224 </p> <p>SAL representatives said that a long term goal was to establish an improved electronic interface with empty container parks. </p> <p>It has also been confirmed that no charge will be applied to transmit EIDO &#47 pin data to stevedores via 1-Stop – please refer to the attached notice. </p> <p>Above and beyond the working group meeting, the CBFCA has made further direct contact with shipping lines scheduled to implement the EIDO process. </p> <br />