Shipping, Science Gear & Equipment and Port Calls

Agents and Freight Forwarders

Science parties are responsible for contracting with and paying for their own agents and freight forwarders.  No items may be shipped directly to the ship or to SOI's agent.  SOI agent information may be listed in the Cruise Support Plan but this is for SOI internal reference and is not a resource available to the science party.  If you are interested in contracting with the same agents and freight forwarders as SOI, please contact the Science Systems Senior Manager.   If you do contract with same agent and freight forwarders as SOI then all shipments and work requested will need to be clearly identified as for the science party to ensure that the billing doesn't get mixed.

Shipping, freight forwarders, agents and port expenses can incur very significant costs and it is crucial that the science party budgets for these from the inception of their project.

Port Expenses

The Chief Scientist shall pay the following charges (these are examples only; this list is not all-inclusive):

• Transportation of the Science Party members from the airport to or from the ship.

• Customs and Immigration Entry fees for individuals and/or science gear and equipment.

• Storage and Warehouse fees for science gear before or after the ship is in port.

• Port Access Fees

• Longshore & Stevedore charges related to receiving or shipping out science gear and equipment (a.k.a. cargo).

• Taxis for the science party.

• Faxes, Telexes and/or Phone agent charges for arranging science logistics.

• Hotel bills for the science party awaiting the ship or a flight home, etc.

• Fees for hazardous material handling and/or disposal.

Delivery

Typically science gear and equipment will not be delivered to the ship until the first day of your mobilization.  Please work with your freight forwarder or agent to ensure that your gear and equipment isn't delivered earlier than this unless previously arranged with the SOI Science Systems Senior Manager.

Labeling Shipments

Please ensure that all items are clearly labeled in several places:

"Science Party - *Chief Scientist's Name* - *Cruise ID*"

For example: "Science Party - Smith - FKt220120"

If you have any items shipping directly from a vendor, please work with them to ensure that the above labeling convention is followed and ensure that your freight forwarder or agent is aware of the shipment.

Science Gear & Equipment

Any large pieces of gear or equipment must be identified six months prior to departure.  A "cargo list" including all large pieces of gear and equipment and a list of all individual shipments must be provided six weeks prior to departure.  Equipment that falls into this category is often deck equipment and are items that typically take more than two people to move.  Larger instruments, used in the lab, may also fall into this category.

Large equipment with additional considerations:

• Load handling equipment - accommodating this is a long lead time item (custom mounts must be fabricated and equipment documentation procured)

• Containers - accommodating this is a long lead time item (custom mounts must be fabricated)

  • How will the container be used?  Is this a work area (lab van)?  Reefer van?  Storage only?

  • Size and weight?

  • Integration requirements such as power and plumbing?

  • Container certifications must be provided

The ship is unable to transport scientific gear and equipment prior to or subsequent to its assigned cruise.  Please plan on shipping your gear and equipment to your departure port and having it shipped home from the port of arrival.  A representative from the science party must be present at the ship for receipt or discharge of any piece of scientific gear and equipment.

Scientific gear and equipment should not be delivered to the ship until two days prior to departure and all gear and equipment and waste must be removed from the ship within one day after arrival.

You will be asked to provide a brief summary of smaller items that you are bringing on board.  These items are typically things that can be moved with one or two people and are often items that are used inside.  If there are multiple boxes coming on a pallet or in a container and the shipment can be broken down and the individual boxes can be moved by one or two people, they fall into this category even if the pallet or container has to be craned on board.  The summary can consist of the number of boxes, average size and weight and summary of contents ("laboratory equipment").  Detailed packing lists are typically not required.

Science Gear Storage

Storage space on Falkor (too) is at a premium and it is very valuable to carefully plan what needs to come and how/where it will be stored.  

• • For equipment that will be unpacked and used for the entirety of the cruise, packing containers that can be broken down and stowed are preferred.  

  • For equipment that will remain packed for the majority of the cruise (e.g. spare parts, sample shipping packaging, etc.) please consider packing cases that will allow for outside storage on deck.  Large, pallet style boxes and smaller, water-resistant, tote-style bins are good options.  Note that the smaller sizes are available for optimizing packing on pallets.

Please discuss your equipment and storage needs with the Science Systems Senior Manager during your cruise planning to ensure that we have a strategy for accommodating all of your equipment.

Customs

Customs regulations present specific problems which require that plans be made well in advance.   A shipping agent or customs official should be consulted, at the science party’s expense, if gear and equipment is to be shipped to or from the ship.  Use of the ship to import unaccompanied gear and equipment is prohibited unless prior arrangements are made with the Science Systems Senior Manager.  The personal duty-free allowance for returning residents applies only to accompanied goods.

Most nations' Customs Service requires that the ship produce a manifest listing all equipment and supplies aboard when it returns to port. These manifests must be made up by each research group when loading the ship so that they can be combined for a “ship’s manifest.” It is especially important to have all foreign-made goods registered with the Customs Service of the nation from which they are being sent, before sending them to the ship. This applies even to minor separable components of major equipment. This practice will help minimize duties being levied when the items are repatriated.

All participants should be reminded that Customs regulations can be extremely strict and that the special circumstances surrounding research vessels generally are not regarded as justification for deviation from these regulations. It is the responsibility of each member of the science party to meet the necessary procedural and legal requirements.

Hazardous Materials

All hazardous materials shipped to and loaded onto the ship must be appropriately packaged, identified and documented.  More information on hazardous materials on the ship may be found on the Laboratory and Hazardous Materials page. More shipping information may be found at the following links for air and sea shipping.  It is strongly recommended that you engage a professional hazardous materials shipper as the rules can be very complex. Please keep in mind that all hazardous waste and unused materials must be removed from the ship before you disembark at the end of the cruise.  SOI will not be responsible for any shipment or disposal of any science party generated hazardous waste or unused materials.

Forklifts

SOI will typically pay for one day of forklift rental.  If extra time is needed by the science party, the Chief Scientist may be billed.

Please communicate your forklift needs to the Science Systems Senior Manager at least two months prior to departure.

Mobilization

Mobilization typically begins at 09:00 two days prior to your scheduled departure date.  Arrival and departure details are outlined on the Embarking and Disembarking Falkor (too) page.  Extra days may be requested for very complex cruises or from vehicle operators contracting with SOI or the science party.  If the Chief Scientist feels that additional mobilization or demobilization time is needed, this must be requested from the Senior Director of  Operations at the time of the proposal submission.

Please keep in mind that indoctrinations, orientations, familiarizations, and safety training will also occur during the two mobilization days.  It is required that all members of the science party are present.

Demobilization

Demobilization typically takes place the day of arrival (arrivals are usually planned for the morning) and the day after arrival. Extra days may be requested for very complex cruises or from vehicle operators contracting with SOI or the science party.

Please refer to the Embarking and Disembarking Falkor (too)  page for times when the science party may stay on the ship.

ITAR/EAR

Many countries have strict import and export laws such as the ITAR and EAR regulations put in place by the US government.  More information is available on the Permits page.  It is the responsibility of the Chief Scientist and any vehicle operator lead technicians to ensure that all import and export regulations are followed and that regulated items are identified to SOI.

Wood and Packaging

It is the policy of SOI to require all wood packaging material brought aboard the ship by the science party is properly treated and marked in accordance with the International Plant Protection Convention.

As of September 16, 2005, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) began enforcement of the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) import and export regulation requirements for wood packaging material (WPM) into the U.S.  Many other nations have similar rules.

The rule requires wood packaging materials, such as pallets, crates, boxes, and dunnage used to support or brace science gear and equipment to be treated and marked. In cases of noncompliance, the wood packaging material will be subject to immediate export along with the accompanying science gear and equipment.

Wood Treatments: The approved treatments for wood packaging material are 1) heat treatment to a minimum wood core temperature of 56ºC for a minimum of 30 minutes, or 2) fumigation with methyl bromide.

Wood Certification: To certify treatment, the wood packaging material must be marked with the following International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) logo. Paper certificates of treatment will no longer be required or accepted.

The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) logo found on wood packaging material indicates it has been properly treated.

Additional Information: Enforcement details of the wood packaging material regulations can be found at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s website www.cbp.gov. Any questions should be directed to the Chief Agriculture Specialist at +1 (206) 553-2400.