What is AEO certification?

You are probably familiar with this phenomenon: If you know someone and you can rely on them with a clear conscience because everything has been handled reliably and on time and even people you trust have never reported anything else, then you are more likely to confide in this person than someone from theirs Integrity you have not yet been able to convince yourself to the same extent.

The AEO certification is the institutionalization of this principle. AEO stands for “Authorised Economic Operator” and means something like “authorized economic partner”. The certificate states that a company has acted in a particularly trustworthy and reliable manner in international trade in the past. It is awarded to companies based in the European Union.

The possibility of AEO certification in international trade has existed since 2008. AEO was introduced by the World Customs Authority under the SAFE conditions. “Safe” is not only the English word for “safe”, but also stands for the “Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade” in international trade. These are international guidelines that ensure a framework for safe global trade. In a globalized world, SAFE creates the basis for modern and efficient world trade with low risks. In the customs administrations and forwarding companies, SAFE processes are simplified and accelerated.

Peter Harms Schiffahrts- u. Speditionsges. mbH is AEO certified

Peter Harms Schiffahrts- und Speditionsgesellschaft mbH has AEO certification as an “authorised economic operator” (as the customs authorities use it). This means that we are entitled to concessions and simplifications in customs matters, from which you as our customer can benefit.

Thanks to our AEO certification, we transport goods particularly safely and quickly internationally. The continuous supply chains are maintained and your goods reach the customer without delays.

If you too would like to benefit from our good reputation, our many years of experience in international trade, our know-how, our commitment and last but not least our AEO certification, please do not hesitate to contact us.

What size and type of container do I need?

The most common container size in shipping is the TEU. This abbreviation stands for “Twenty Foot Equivalent Unit”. The name refers to the external dimensions of the container: A TEU is 20 feet long.

The twenty-foot container is the standard for sea transport. TEU is often used as a unit to indicate loading capacity or handling values in ports. For example, a ship with a capacity of 1,000 TEU can accommodate 1,000 standard containers.

A TEU is a miracle of space: it can accommodate eleven Euro pallets or nine industrial pallets, 80 oil drums, each with a capacity of 275 liters or 36,904 beverage cans (not counting pallets).

The ideal container size for every shipment

For goods that do not fit in a TEU, there is a larger variant. A FEU container is twice as long as a TEU and just as wide and high as a TEU. FEU means “Fourty Foot Equivalent Unit”.

There is also a whole range of special sizes. Containers with different height dimensions are possible, for example – dimensions that can be transported on the road without restrictions are common here. For voluminous transport goods and in general on the American market, 45-foot containers are also becoming established. In Australia in particular, there is an increasing number of 48-foot containers.

Special requirements for the type of container

Refrigerated containers, also known as thermal containers or reefers, basically have the same external dimensions as “normal” shipping containers. The difference is on the inside: the volume is reduced due to the internal insulation and, if necessary, the cooling unit. There are two variants: refrigerated containers, which are refrigerated by the ship’s system, and refrigerated containers, which have their own integrated refrigeration unit.

Depending on the freight to be transported, there are other configurations and body types. Platform containers, for example, only consist of the floor construction and have no side walls. Dangerous goods such as oil, petrol or gas require an explosion-proof installation and a special interior design that prevents the load from rocking. There are containers with hinged sides, containers with doors at both ends, special containers for bulk goods and many more.

The ideal type of container does not only depend on the size of the freight, but also on the weight. It must be ensured that the carrying capacity of the container is not exceeded. A TEU, for example, has a maximum payload of 28,230 kg.

Different standard sizes are used for air freight transport than for transport by ship, since the containers used here are optimized for the hold of the aircraft.

If you are not sure which container type and size is best for your merchandise, our staff will be happy to advise you on the best choice.

What is SOLAS?

SOLAS stands for “International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea”. This is a UN convention on safety at sea, specifically “for the protection of human life at sea”, as the German version of the convention puts it.

The first version of SOLAS was created after the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. The basis for the international initiative was the realization that better safety precautions would have saved many people at the time. That is why an international conference created minimum standards for safety on ships that are intended to protect life.

The fifth version of SOLAS is now in force. It was adopted in 1974 and has since been amended and expanded by numerous supplementary protocols. This means that technical innovations are taken into account and knowledge gained from shipwrecks is included.

Major shipwrecks are often the reason for changes to SOLAS. Most recently, in January 2020, a supplementary protocol came into force that drew lessons from the Costa Concordia accident in 2012.

What is regulated by SOLAS?

SOLAS is a comprehensive agreement divided into 14 chapters. It deals with topics such as requirements for the safe construction of ships, fire protection on ships, life-saving devices, safe stowage of cargo, handling dangerous goods, regulations for improving maritime safety and many more.

Some passages apply to all boats and ships without exception, others are very specific, for example the regulations for nuclear ships.

What role does SOLAS play for us?

Of course, Peter Harms Schiffahrts- und Speditionsgesellschaft mbH fulfills all the requirements of the SOLAS Convention. It is important to us to be part of safe shipping in our work.

Demurrage and detention are terms used in logistics and shipping to describe the charges for the use of containers.

Demurrage
Demurrage is incurred when containers remain in port after the free storage period has expired. This free storage period is the time that containers are allowed to spend in the port without incurring additional costs. If containers are not collected or shipped within this time, demurrage charges are incurred. These are intended to ensure that containers are moved on quickly to make room in the port for new arrivals and departures.

Detention
Detention charges are incurred if containers are not returned to the shipping company within the agreed period after unloading and leaving the port. Detention charges are levied to ensure the timely return of containers and to ensure that they are available for further transportation.

Summarized:
– Demurrage: charges for keeping containers in port after the free storage period.
– Detention: Charges for the detention of containers outside the port after the free days.