The Did You Knows? Sea Container Demurrage and Detention - New Zealand

With the approach to peak season for many coming in the last quarter of 2026, we are starting to see early container space restraints from China and Northern Asia as importers look to bring stock in early. Vessels are booked out well in advance with some vessels already booking out 4-6 weeks ahead of sailing. Similarly, we will over the coming months start to see congestion at transhipment ports such as Singapore, playing their part in delaying transit times. As per every peak season, shipping lines are already and will continue to increase freight rates as the above unfolds, driving up costs as we get closer to Christmas. As we work our way towards peak season, please get in touch with the Hobbs Global Team well in advance so we can start working on securing bookings for shipments. This will allow us to work with our Chinese agents to get the best outcome to land your stock in NZ when you need it. Please plan accordingly and account for potential delays in lead times. As always, if you have any questions please reach out to the Hobbs Global Team!

Importing into New Zealand is different to the rest of the world. We are largely a country free from the pests seen in other parts of the world. Sure, we are an island in the middle of the Pacific, but our borders are kept safe from a biosecurity perspective due to regulations set to manage those risks. One example; import containers into New Zealand need to be opened, inspected and signed off at an Approved Transitional Facility (ATF) before being released to the importer.  What is an Approved Transitional Facility? An ATF is an MPI approved location where goods that may carry biosecurity risks can be temporarily held, unpacked, and inspected upon importation to New Zealand. These locations operate under strict biosecurity standards acting as a secure buffer zone to prevent pests, diseases and contaminants from entering the country. NZ relies on strict biosecurity to protect native environments and agriculture; meaning that on arrival, goods cannot automatically move from the port to your warehouse without first being inspected.  Behind the scenes of every New Zealand ATF is a Transitional Facility Operator (TFO) whose responsibility it is to manage and maintain the biosecurity procedures of their ATF. The TFO assumes control of the outright risk at the facility, knowing and understanding goods approved to be received, processes to follow should risks be identified, ensuring overall compliance of the site and its people, as well as the goods it holds.  Terms like MPI, TFGEN, AP, BMSB and Risk Goods get thrown around daily in our environment, but what do they actually mean?  MPI – The Ministry for Primary Industries is the government department responsible for the biosecurity sector in New Zealand. They are ultimately responsible for managing the biosecurity border risk to New Zealand. TFGEN – Transitional Facilities for General Uncleared Risk Goods. Every ATF needs one, and every TFO needs to know theirs back to front. It’s their procedure manual; their Personal Business Bible illustrating everything their ATF is approved to handle, down to which employees are approved to handle risk goods. Processes are outlined to ensure the ATF is compliant to manage imported goods and the risks associated with them. AP - Alongside the TFO are Accredited Person(s). While the TFO oversees the overall biosecurity procedures of the ATF, the APs supervise the unpacking and manage biosecurity risks at a container and goods level. Inspecting imported cargo for pests, or contamination of varying types is front and foremost for any AP. Each container arriving into a facility is signed off by an AP before goods can be released to the importer. Risk Goods – These are any goods that could contain or harbour harmful pests, diseases, or organisms that threaten the environment, economy or human health of New Zealand. All goods are considered risk goods prior to their arrival into NZ and sign off by an ATF, but not all risk goods are equal. Raw/fresh animal products carry a higher risk than finished furniture for example due to the nature, processing and finishes of goods. Specific ATFs are approved to handle higher risk goods with higher compliance requirements. BMSB – The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug is a pest native to Asia that has spread throughout Europe and Northern America. NZ has spent close to a decade on full alert in an effort to keep this pest off our shores; BMSB Season is Back! - Hobbs Global Operating an ATF is expensive, particularly as compliance continues to get stricter but doing so may provide benefits to your company. If you are interested in learning more about setting up your own ATF, please reach out to the Hobbs Global Team and we can assist to point you in the right direction. Hobbs Global operates our ATF from the Auckland Airport area; devanning both product we store as 3PL as well as cross dock shipments for our customers. If you’re like to enquire about having your import containers unpacked, get in contact with the Hobbs Global Team for a quote.

Due to severe weather, parts of the lower South Island are experiencing delivery delays. Central Otago - Queenstown Cromwell is experiencing road closures due to adverse weather. Dunedin and its surrounding areas are experiencing heavy rain, snow and flood resulting in road closures. We are advised that current road closures and restrictions additionally affect State Highway 1 (North of Oamaru), 88 (Port Chalmers to Sawyers Bay), 85 (Alexandra, to Kyeburn Palmerston), 87 (Kyeburn to Outram), Lindis Pass (Omarama to Tarras), and 86 (Allanton to Momona). Please expect delays, and get in touch with the Hobbs Global Team if any questions.