Supervision of cargo fumigation

As it is known, besides fumigation of agricultural cargoes, fumigation of other cargoes has gained great importance recently. In particular, the USA has taken strict measures and established rules in this regard. Because we know that many breakbulk cargo and especially various containerized cargo containing crates or pallets are removed from the country due to insects. Special units that control risky cargoes in detail and special areas where these cargoes are kept have been established at major ports in the USA. Before entering the country, the insect-detected cargoes are urgently required to be fumigated in the private area by authorized local companies. This fumigation process is not for taking the cargo into the country, but for preventing the spread of these unwanted insects until they leave the country. In other words, these cargoes are rejected and taken out of the USA in the fastest way. According to the choice of the person in charge of the cargo, the destination may be either the country of origin or a country such as Mexico, if the country of origin is distant routes such as Turkiye. In fact, incoming ships are requested to give priority to the contaminated cargo to be exported in such a case. To be re-admitted to the USA, it must be subjected to a special detailed fumigation in another country and certified. As it can be understood, the cost incurred when faced with this problem is very, very large.

Another problem arises when loading is done on a breakbulk or FR and there are loads of many companies on the same ship. If insects are detected on these ships, we see that the cargoes to be made abroad are those that do not satisfy the authorities regarding the fumigation carried out in the country of origin.

Although we have fumigation companies that work in accordance with the rules, there are also fumigation companies that do not do the fumigation work in accordance with the rules, some of them do not have a good command of the procedures, and some of them, unfortunately, by gaining unfair commercial profit from the work they do not fully do. Although it is actually a very important part of it, fumigation is only a part of this process. In other words, the insect removal process that must be followed includes some stages other than the fumigation process carried out by the fumigation company.

As CIS Karkont, we can summarize the process we have implemented and fully controlled in Turkiye as follows;

• Inspecting the entire cargo and checking that all wooden materials such as crates, pallets, planks, wedges, etc., are processed according to the ISPM standard and have official markings
• Washing a solid, crack-free concrete field with pressurized salt water as a stockpile Cleaning all parts of the cargo by washing with saltwater solution and taking it to the stock area after drying.

Putting the cargo together and creating a barrier by pouring salt all around it

• Laying the pipework under the tent so that the gas can be supplied from many different points and then measured from different points
• Putting protective material to the upper corners of the cargo and covering it with special UV plastic tents

• Placement of heat meters and special heaters that are activated in case of a decrease in temperature in the tents according to the ambient temperature
• Placement of ventilators in such a way that the gas does not collect in one place in the tent, it is evenly distributed inside and circulates
• Application of Methyl Bromide gas under the tent at the dosage specified in the relevant standard according to the air temperature

• Control and ensure that the gas concentration is at the desired level by measuring the gas level with special devices many times at the time intervals given in the standard between 0.5 hours and 72 hours.

* In areas where there is no electricity, the generator must be kept ready to provide the electricity need of the system continuously.

The correct insect removal and fumigation of your USA shipments/cargoes is very important and thanks to our insect removal process, which, as “CIS Karkont” in Turkiye, we organize and control with all stages, reduce the risk of cargo rejection by 99.9% due to the presence of foreign contaminating agents, such as snails, bugs, soil or plants traces.

In addition, the same applies to shipments to Canada and Australia, as well as to any country that tries to prevent such foreign contaminating insects from entering their country.

You can contact us at operation@karkont.com for the organization, supervision and valid certification of the implementation of an effective insect removal process on your shipments.

TURK MARINEWS