Press Room

NEOLINK Announcement – Do you import containers? Then you need to read this – New Charges being implemented by Australian Ports – 9.8.21

Monday 9^th of August 2021

Dear Valued Clients,

Patricks Terminals announced last week that its new container weighing solution Pondus will be live at its Melbourne Terminal Operations from 4^th of October 2021 and will be launching in Brisbane from 4^th of January 2021.

See Patricks notice attached and details below:

“Pondus is an innovative weighing solution that helps drive safety across the container handling sector. Mis-declared containers create potential safety risks throughout the supply chain from transport companies to terminal operators and shipping lines. This new weighing solution, Pondus, helps identify mis-declared weights by statistically sampling containers for weighing and then automatically notifying customers of weight discrepancies allowing parties to better meet their Chain of Responsibility obligations. Any mis-declared container found outside of the 1-tonne tolerance will be charged a weight amendment fee of $230.00 AUD + GST. If containers are accurately declared, then this fee does not apply.”

The important thing to note with this announcement is that the Weight amendment fee does not just apply to heavy containers but ALL CONTAINERS, regardless of the actual weight. If the weight is 1 tonne different on the container, then this fee will be applicable and payable on COD terms with the terminals in order for us to collect the container from the wharf.

NEOLINK’s Recommended Next Steps

1. Neolink’s Customer Operations Coordinators are informing all our origin branch managers about this change as Australian Terminals
2. Our origin offices will be in contact with suppliers to inform them around the implication of underdeclared/mis-declared container weights
3. Ultimately NEOLINK do not see or pack most of your containers and are relying on the accuracy of the weight declarations from your suppliers
4. Please ensure you also reach out to your suppliers directly and inform them that if they mis-declare and do not accurately weigh the goods that there is a cost implication
5. You will also receive a call from your Customer Operations Coordinator to discuss this further and answer any questions you might have

We will work with all of you to ensure this is effectively communicated across all of your respective trade lanes and suppliers, but please understand that suppliers are ultimately the ones responsible for accurate weights being provided.

If you or your suppliers have any questions at all please don’t hesitate to reach out to any member of the NEOLINK Team.

Best regards,

NEOLINK Marketing Team

Patricks Melbourne Terminal – Pondus Weighing Amendment Fee – From October 2021