Road carrier details delay cargo clearance

Change in haulier requires amended CTO Alan Peat A NUMBER of importers are causing themselves, and their forwarding agents, problems with the late submission of details of the road carrier who is being nominated to transport their cargoes. "Often they nominate brokers who are unable to provide haulier details until the very last minute. "This late provision of carriers' details - or last minute changes - can delay clearance and delivery." The answer, according to one forwarder, is that importers who nominate their own hauliers for the movement of container traffic should ensure that the haulier's details are stipulated in their clearing instructions. This must be done because any change in the haulier after clearance requires the submission of amended Container Terminal Orders (CTOs) to SA Port Operations (Sapo). "Apart from the additional costs involved, passing amended CTOs takes a minimum of 24-hours and runs the risk of the container(s) attracting storage and overstays. These debits may only be received months later." There's also a problem if the CTO is passed, and changes still need to be made. "In this situation," said the FTW source, "the CTOs cannot be amended until after the carrying vessel's manifest has become available and is verified."