What is the brown marmorated stink bug and how does it affect my wine importation business?
One of the insects that ISPM 15 aims to tackle is the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), which is transmitted between countries through the wooden pallets used in shipping.
Every year, biosecurity measures are put in place for the BMSB season. Native to China, Japan and Korea, these insects are active during the summer when they pierce the skin of fruits and vegetables to get to the juice within. The spots and blemishes left behind can make the food inedible or unsellable.
How does this apply to my wine importation business?
For any wine importation business, it’s important to be aware that from approximately September to April, imports to Australia and New Zealand must be treated prior to arrival at port and into Australian or New Zealand territory. However, shipping containers that are only carrying wine, beer or spirits are not affected, with the exception of Australian imports containing point-of-sale goods. In this case, the whole container must be fumigated, either before departure or on arrival.
If you are importing wine from Italy to New Zealand, an MPI supervised unpack is required. This applies to all sea containers. Find out more about requirements for wine importers to New Zealand here. All of these biosecurity measures come at extra cost, so it’s important to factor these into your budget. Equally, if you transport or import beverages on an untreated pallet, your shipment can be rejected by the import country’s customs authorities. The wine producer may also be fined.
As well as having an impact on wine importation business shipments, BMSBs can also directly affect wine production. If the grapes ground to make wine contain stink bugs, this can result in the entire crop needing to be thrown away.
Wine importers will also need to be aware of the restrictions around reusing and repairing wood packing and pallets. Research any restrictions that may affect the return or exchange of certain pallet types before your shipment reaches its destination. Pallets may not be suitable for reuse, or they may need to be re-treated or remarked.
Pallet sizes
ISPM 15 regulations mean your wine importation business must use approved pallets, but it's also important to understand the pallet sizes available, and how many can fit in a container. There are several sets of standardized pallet sizes available in international shipping, including:
Euro pallets
- Standard size: 120 x 80 cm / 31.5 x 47.24 in
- Empty weight: 25 kg
- Mostly used for European shipments.
- 11 pallets in a 20-foot dry container
- 10 pallets in a 20-foot reefer container
- 24 pallets in a 40-foot dry container
- 23 pallets in a 40-foot reefer container
VMF block pallet
- Standard size: 120 x 100 cm / 39.37 x 47.24 in
- Empty weight: 28-30 kg (varies by wood size/type)
- Commonly used anywhere in the world.
- 10 pallets in a 20-foot dry container
- 9 pallets in a 20-foot reefer container
- 21 pallets in a 40-foot dry container
- 20 pallets in a 40-foot reefer container
“GMA” pallets
- Standard size: 48 x 40 in
- Empty weight: 16kg+ (varies by wood size/type)
- Mainly used in North America
- 10 pallets in a 20-foot dry container
- 9 pallets in a 20-foot reefer container
- 21 pallets in a 40-foot dry container
- 20 pallets in a 40-foot reefer container
