Refrigerators, toys and other debris from ZIM Kingston containers wash up ashore near Cape Scott

No more containers have been found. That is the news from the Canadian Coast Guard about the maritime disaster surrounding the ZIM Kingston that lost an estimated 109 containers in rough seas off the coast of British Columbia in Canada and is still anchored while fire fighting efforts continue.

The ZIM Kingston faced rough weather West of the Strait of Juan de Fuca caused by a low pressure system that is said to have impacted the region from Thursday the 21st Oct. The hurricane force caused the sea to rise to about 9 meters, resulting in an estimated 109 containers falling in to the sea.

4 of the 109 containers washed up ashore near Cape Scott some 400 kms away from where the ship is currently anchored. As per the Canadian Coast Guard, the containers have spilled refrigerators, toys, yoga mats and clothing onto remote beaches near Cape Scott Provincial Park on the northernmost tip of the island.

Photos from Jerika McArter an educator from Eke Me-Xi Learning Centre, Port Hardy, B.C., shows the impact that maritime disasters such as this have on the environment. Students from the Centre were on a weekly field trip to Palmerston Beach, learning about the protection of the natural environment got a first hand view of what they could be dealing with in the future.

Click to view slideshow.

CTV News from Vancouver is quoting McArter as saying “There is stuff everywhere: fridges, rain boots, shoes, toys, Chinese checkers boards, baby oil, food packs, hair wax, Styrofoam, backpacks and more. This is only one of the containers and the pictures don’t show how bad/sad it is.”

Photos : Jerika Mcarter

In the meantime, the Canadian Coast Guard has confirmed that the debris is from at least one of the containers that were lost and that anyone who discovers cargo on the beach should report it immediately to the coast guard. As per the Canadian Coast Guard spokesperson Michelle Imbeau, “yoga mats, clothing, children’s toys and games will be among the debris likely to drift ashore in the coming days”

The vessel’s owner, Danaos Shipping Co., has in the meantime confirmed that it is working with a salvage contractor to develop a plan to locate and retrieve the lost containers and also working with an environmental company on the operation.

The Canadian Coast Guard is reportedly satisfied with the salvage work conducted so far. “Under the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act (WAHVA) the owner of the M/V Zim Kingston is responsible for mitigating any hazards regarding the ship or its cargo,” a statement from the coast guard said. “To date, Unified Command is satisfied with the actions taken by the owner both at the ship itself, and in efforts to recover the containers and debris,” said the statement added.

The unified command is reported to include representatives from the coast guard, the B.C. Environment Ministry, the vessel’s owners, the Beecher Bay First Nation and the WSANEC Leadership Council.

Coast guard helicopters, along with aircraft from Transport Canada’s National Aerial Surveillance Program were searching for more of the missing containers an operation which has been hampered by the remote and rugged location as as per the Canadian Coast Guard.

The salvage team on board the Zim Kingston has been using thermal cameras to monitor for flare-ups with efforts focused on Bay 14 of the ship which is where containers that were loaded with tyres continues to be an issue. The team is also monitoring the air quality along B.C.’s coast. Once recovery and firefighting efforts are complete, it is expected that the Transportation Safety Board will launch a further investigation into the incident.

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Going Abroad – Tips for Moving Internationally

Whether you have an overseas job offer or you’re daring to venture out on your own, moving abroad is a big step. It’s also an exciting one! All of the new food, immersion in a new culture, and exploring new neighborhoods… There are a ton of possibilities on the horizon.

Making sure you have a smooth arrival means preparing yourself ahead of time. There are a few things to keep in mind when relocating abroad. We’ve put together some tips for moving internationally to help make sure you’re prepared.

Check Customs Fees

When moving internationally, you’ll probably pack a giant suitcase to take with you on the plane. This ensures you have all of the clothes and immediate things you’ll need. But excess baggage charges can be pricey and hauling suitcases can be a pain.

If you plan to send some things via post, there are some aspects you should brace yourself for. Checking international shipping rates is a good starting point. Depending on where you’re heading, you may want to decide whether it’s worth it to pay for shipping.

One of the luxuries we have in the States is that shipping and receiving from across the country can be relatively inexpensive. Once you start moving parcels internationally, you may incur customs charges. Check on the customs fees for what you’d like to send and understand what will be involved in shipping and receiving from your old home to your new one.

Downsize

The old saying “less is more” can be adapted here. Less is less in this case – less expensive and less cumbersome, that is. Time spent downsizing is invaluable.

Go through your things and get rid of what you don’t need. Are you moving to a warmer country? You probably don’t need your whole winter wardrobe. Heading somewhere with a different electrical system? It’s best to buy your important appliances there to ensure the wattage is safe. Have a collection of VHS tapes and National Geographic Magazines you forgot about in the crawlspace? It’s likely you don’t need those where you’re headed.

Pare down to the essentials. That doesn’t mean getting rid of everything that isn’t purely functional. Be discerning, though, as you go through your things and decide whether you actually need or will use them.

Make piles for selling, donating, and gifting away. You could even negotiate some indefinite loans for certain items if your friends want or need them. If or when you return, you could collect them back – like your television or sofa, for example.

Consider Storage

If there are things you won’t immediately need but can’t bear to part with forever, consider a storage unit. Storage is also a great option if you’re testing the waters overseas. Packing everything and hauling it over will become a bit of a headache if you choose to return in six months.

A climate-controlled storage unit will give you peace of mind. No matter how many seasons pass, your items will come out the same way they went in, protected from the heat and cold.

Get Your Paperwork in Order

There are some practical and legal items that you may not have considered if you were born and raised in your current country. Here are a few pieces of paperwork you should make sure you have in order:

• At least six months validity on your passport
• An apostilled copy of your birth certificate
• An apostilled copy of your marriage certificate (if applicable)
• An international driver license, or at minimum six months validity on your standard-issue driver license

Having your paperwork in order ahead of time will save you headaches on the other side.

Update Your Details

Make sure you cancel paper statements from local accounts and update your contact details wherever applicable. Do this well in advance so you can be sure you caught them all – it’s all too easy for an important one to fall through the cracks.

If you have a friend or family member who can receive necessary paperwork that must come, chat with them and confirm that it’s okay to direct necessary mail there. It would even benefit you to forward your mail there so you can see what is still outstanding to be canceled or resolved.

Consider Your Budget

Luckily, it’s not so hard these days to get a general idea of the cost of living in other places. Whether it’s Google searches or Facebook groups, you have a lot of resources available. Check rental or home purchase prices so you understand your monthly bills. An important factor is utilities – how does the price of electricity, particularly, stack up against where you are now? The exchange rate can also mean a ding to your savings, so get as much information as you can in advance. Make sure you take some time estimating your cost of living in your new hometown and get a clear idea of your moving budget before you get started.

Public Transport or Car Shopping?

While you’re researching, start looking at transportation options. This will depend largely on where you choose to live. Moving to the center of Berlin is a lot different from the Spanish countryside, for example.

Determine where you’d like to live and what this means for moving around. Will you be able to rely on public transport? Or do you need a car to get around? Will you be fine for walking to the necessities, but want to venture further out?

If you don’t need a car very often, there’s a chance a car share or rental service will suffice. If not, head back to the budget step and factor in the purchase of a car.

Hire the Experts

When it comes to sending all of your things, using shipping and mailing services just isn’t practical. It can be costly, unreliable, and you’ll end up with a whole lot of tracking numbers to follow. Oh, and then there’s that customs angle to worry about.

Hiring professional movers is the best way to save yourself some headaches, time, and money. A moving company with experience in moving internationally will be able to give you advice, support you in the shift, and if you pick a full-service mover, they’ll even pack all of your things for the safest transport.

When you’re ready to take the big leap to live overseas, FlatRate can help. Our expert movers will help prepare your items and get them to your new home – and country – safely, so you can spend more time practicing a new language.

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Should I Move to Hawaii: What Makes the Island Different?

Every year thousands of people move to Hawaii to buy a home and start living their dream. Even though the transition is complicated, moving to Hawaii offers a lot of benefits. It comes with great things, such as beautiful weather all year round, accessibility, beautiful white sand beaches, plenty of outdoor activities, and Hawaii’s unique …

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DCSA releases Track & Trace Interface Standard version 2.2

DCSA releases Track & Trace Interface Standard version 2.2 with new subscription capability, enhanced security, and support for document events

DCSA has released version 2.2 of its Track & Track Interface Standard for customer-facing events. The release includes the DCSA Subscription Callback API, which allows customers (shippers/consignees) to subscribe to receive automatic updates of shipment events from carriers. In addition, security has been enhanced with subscription-ID and notification-signature headers.

The release also supports a better customer experience with more efficient data inquiry and handling, including support for the following document events: Cargo Survey, Customs Inspection, Verified Gross Mass, Dangerous Goods Declaration, and Out of Gauge Declaration.

The API definitions and reference implementation have also been updated. As always, API definitions can be downloaded from SwaggerHub and the new reference implementation is available on GitHub.

All accompanying documents: DCSA Industry Blueprint 3.0, Information Model 3.3, Information Model 3.3- Reading Guide, Event Structure Definitions 2.2, Event naming convention 2.2, Track & Trace Interface Standard 2.2, Track & Trace Interface Standard 2.2 – Reading Guide, DCSA API Design Principles 1.1, DCSA Subscription Callback API 1.0, and web glossary of terms, can be downloaded here.

Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA) is a neutral, non-profit group founded by major ocean carriers to digitise and standardise the container shipping industry. With the mission of leading the industry towards systematic collaboration, DCSA drives initiatives to make container transportation services transparent, reliable, easy to use, secure and environmentally friendly.

DCSA’s open source standards are developed based on input from DCSA member carriers, industry stakeholders and technology experts from other industries. DCSA member carriers include:  MSC, Maersk, CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, ONE, Evergreen, Yang Ming, HMM and ZIM. Please download DCSA standards at dcsa.org.

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ZIM Kingston fire update

Calm seas allowed firefighters to finally board the ZIM Kingston a 4253 TEU capacity container ship which has been on fire off the coast of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada. As per the Canadian Coast Guard, six firefighters and seven crew members boarded the ship on Monday night as fires in containers still on board the ship continued to smoulder.

In a video released by CHEK News, Paul Barrett, planning section chief with the Canadian Coast Guard’s incident command post, is seen saying that firefighters have identified five containers said to contain tyres that are still burning.

“The firefighting crews are deploying individual tactics to address these fires including the utilization of water mist … to suppress the fire inside the ISO containers. Boundary cooling by vessels will continue in support of the firefighting crew onboard Zim Kingston.” said Barrett adding that a total of 20 personnel including surveyors and firefighting teams are on board the ship.

The one nautical mile emergency zone around the anchored container vessel still remains in place and several multiple response vessels are stationed nearby to assist as required.

“It’s currently estimated that two to three days are required to make the vessel ready for further salvage actions,” Barrett said.

In the meantime, it has now been established that 109 containers have fallen into the sea in rough weather, more than double of the 40 containers that were estimated to have been initially lost.

Mariah McCooey, deputy federal incident commander, advised that this updated figure follows overflights and information provided by the ship’s crew. “Right now, our best count is 109. This is still an ongoing challenge, of course, and it could change,” she said.

These containers have been identified at sea over a period of few days with 28 containers identified in the sea on Saturday and another 14 identified on Sunday. Some of these containers are drifting along the west coast of northern Vancouver Island and the Canadian Coast Guard have confirmed in a tweet that they have located 4 of these containers on shore near Cape Scott, 400 kms away.

#CCGLive: we located four #ZimKingston containers on shore near Cape Scott today. The containers have now been identified, referenced against the ship manifest, and do not contain hazardous chemicals. pic.twitter.com/b6h2FsfaLE

— Canadian Coast Guard (@CoastGuardCAN) October 27, 2021

#CCGLive – A Coast Guard overflight of the #ZimKingston at 11:30 today shows smoldering but no visible flames in the containers. However, firefighters may find some active fire in the containers once they are able to board the ship. pic.twitter.com/PHjfjf6Fg7

— Canadian Coast Guard (@CoastGuardCAN) October 25, 2021

Salvage experts are expected to secure the containers while environmental experts will monitor this work ready to respond to any potential marine pollution. As per the Canadian Coast Guard, “Once the ship is secured, Transport Canada inspectors will inspect the ship and then direct it to a port (not determined yet) for unloading and any further inspections. There may be changes to this process depending on the results of each step.“.

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How Much Time Does it Take to Move?

The moving process can often feel neverending. By the time you find a new place to live you just wish you could click your heels together, say “there’s no place like home”, and be there already.

We get it.

The best way to keep your patience – and sanity – intact is to have a good idea of what to expect. How much time does it take to move? There are a few factors to take into account. We’ll help you explore some of the considerations so you can estimate the time it will take you to move. Then you can take some stress off your shoulders.

General Time Frame

There are a few factors that affect how much time it takes to move, but we’ll get to those specifics in a moment. A good starting point is a general idea of timing based on the size of your home. Professional moving companies give the following estimates, so let’s start here:

• Studio or One Bedroom Apartment: 2-3 hours
• Two Bedrooms: 3-5 hours
• Three or Four Bedrooms: Up to 7 hours
• Five+Bedrooms: 8-10 hours

These are a very general starting point that allows a professional mover to estimate the number of people required for the job and to provide a quote. These timeframes of course don’t include any extra work you’ll be putting in, such as packing boxes or cleaning your place.

If you hire a full-service mover to do your packing for you, they’ll take that into account.

Factors to Consider

Not limited to just the size of your space, there are some other factors to consider that may affect how much time it takes to move. This includes:

• Furniture and large items
• How much disassembly is required
• Number of boxes
• Loose and unpacked items
• Quantity of fragile items or those requiring special handling
• Accessibility for the moving truck
• Flights of stairs
• Size or accessibility of your elevator
• Hallways or awkward corners to navigate
• Weather conditions
• Distance between addresses
• Traffic and road conditions

These things will all affect how much time it takes to move, so consider which ones apply to you. Make sure you discuss each with your moving company to ensure your estimate is accurate and they’re well prepared on moving day. This will help everything go more smoothly.

Preparing Your New Space

Moving is more than just the physical move, of course. You’ll want to move into your new place and settle in. For many of us, that means doing some cleaning beforehand.

Depending on where you’re moving, your rental company or previous owners may (should!) have done some basic cleaning of the place before you arrived. There are likely some finishing touches you’ll like to do yourself. Give yourself time to give your new place a scrub and factor that into how much time it takes to move. If you also need to hang curtains to have some privacy, can you consider yourself moved in before you tick that off the list?

Closing Out Your Old One

You’ll want to do the same for the new tenants in your old place. This may include time for repairs like patching dings in the wall, scuffs on the floor, and caulking the bathtub. Consider how much time you’ll need to get these repairs done before you consider yourself fully moved out.

You’ll also need to do some cleaning so the person who comes after you can enter into a clean home as well. If you choose to do the cleaning yourself, you’ll need to count a few hours – at least – out of your own time to take care of the work. While it costs a bit more, hiring a cleaner to come will allow you to multitask.

When you’re ready to get moving, FlatRate is here to help. Our professional, reliable movers can help you with an estimate on how much time it takes to move, and then get you moving.

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Ocean carriers set to pay surcharges at Long Beach and Los Angeles for containers in terminal

Ocean carriers who are usually the ones charging “surcharges”, may soon be paying a “surcharge” at the San Pedro Bay ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles for import containers that dwell in the marine terminals of these ports for longer periods.

As per a communique from the Port of Long Beach, this surcharge which comes into effect from the 1st of November, is in “an effort to improve cargo movement amid congestion and record volumes”.

As per the new policy, ocean carriers will pay the port for containers falling under below categories :

• For containers that are scheduled to move by truck, ocean carriers will be charged USD100/- per container per day increasing in increments of USD100/- per container per day, if the containers have been sitting in the terminals for nine days or more.
• For containers that are scheduled to move by rail, ocean carriers will be charged USD100/- per container per day increasing in increments of USD100/- per container per day, if the containers have been sitting in the terminals for three days or more.

“We must expedite the movement of cargo through the ports to work down the number of ships at anchor,” said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka. “Approximately 40% of the containers on our terminals today fall into the two categories. If we can clear this idling cargo, we’ll have much more space on our terminals to accept empties, handle exports, and improve fluidity for the wide range of cargo owners who utilize our ports.”

“With the escalating backlog of ships off the coast, we must take immediate action to prompt the rapid removal of containers from our marine terminals,” said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero. “The terminals are running out of space, and this will make room for the containers sitting on those ships at anchor.”

“I support the actions taken by the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach today to charge ocean carriers for lingering containers on marine terminals. These actions aim to expedite the movement of goods and reduce congestion in our ports,” said John D. Porcari, Port Envoy to the Biden-Harris Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force. “As our economy continues to grow, increased demand and disruptions caused by the pandemic are putting our supply chains to the test. While we’ve seen new records set in terms of throughput this year at West Coast ports, we need more players throughout the supply chain to keep stepping up. The federal government will continue to bring together private companies and stakeholders from across the supply chain and serve as an honest broker helping to surface solutions like this to address supply chain disruptions.”

As per the communique, before the pandemic-induced import surge began in mid-2020, on average, containers for local delivery sat on container terminals under four days, while containers destined for trains dwelled less than two days. Those numbers have increased significantly, making it difficult to clear cargo off the terminals and bring in ships at anchor.

The notification from the port advised that the fees collected from dwelling cargo will be re-invested by the two ports for programs designed to enhance efficiency, accelerate cargo velocity, and address congestion impacts throughout the San Pedro Bay.

The policy was developed in coordination with the Biden-Harris Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force, U.S. Department of Transportation and multiple supply chain stakeholders.

Although President Biden stepped up pressure on ports and supply chains to address port congestion woes and the ports responded by extending working hours, there doesn’t seem to be much activity at the gates in Long Beach or Los Angeles as below images show.

Eventually whether ocean carriers will agree to these surcharges or naturally pass it onto customers remains to be seen.

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