This transportation alternative will be used for the following mail classes; Priority Mail Express International® (PMEI), Priority Mail International® (PMI), First-Class Mail International® (FCMI), First-Class Package International Service® (FCPIS®), International Priority Airmail® (IPA®), International Surface Air Lift® (ISAL®), and M-Bag® items.

The Postal Service is closely monitoring the situation and will continue to update customers until the situation returns to normal.

On April 27, 2020, the USPS chartered a second sea transport departed with volume from the Chicago, JFK, and Miami International Service Centers and is estimated to arrive at the Rotterdam (Netherlands) port on May 15, 2020. Sea route arrival dates are not exact and may vary depending on weather related events and queuing at port of arrival. The vessel is carrying 6,382 receptacles in six (6) containers weighing 33,593 kilograms. It is serving mail destined to:

 

•         Austria

•         Denmark

•         Hungary

•         Poland

•         Sweden

•         Czech Republic

•         Finland

•         Netherlands

•         Spain

•         Switzerland

 

When calculating estimated delivery times, additional days required for unloading, customs clearance and road transit should be considered.

This transportation alternative will be used for the following mail classes; Priority Mail Express International® (PMEI), Priority Mail International® (PMI), First-Class Mail International® (FCMI), First-Class Package International Service® (FCPIS®), International Priority Airmail® (IPA®), International Surface Air Lift® (ISAL®), and M-Bag® items.

Due to the prolonged transport delays chosen by the USPS above and in an effort to mitigate those delays, as of Monday 11 May 2020, APC Postal Logistics will be diverting volumes to the following countries through alternate channels bypassing surface/sea transportation from the US:

 

•         Austria

•         Denmark

•         Hungary

•         Poland

•         Sweden

•         Czech Republic

•         Finland

•         Netherlands

•         Spain

•         Switzerland

APC will continue to route these countries via the USPS if these direct services are selected:

Many distribution centers, including those in the top 10 hotspots are seeing up to a 200% volume increase.

The United States Postal Service is also reporting peak level parcel volumes in their network.

USPS has reported delays in areas including, but not limited to; Denver, CO (DEN), Detroit, MI (ORD), Chicago, IL (ORD) and Sacramento, CA (SFO). Distribution centers are facing staffing and capacity challenges across the network.

Action steps for mitigating and managing delays:

Deliveries and collections should take place in most areas of the UK today, Wednesday 1 July (please see information for Whitechapel, Barnsley and Glasgow below). Despite our best endeavours, it’s likely some areas of the country may experience some level of disruption due to Coronavirus-related absences at mail centres or local delivery offices. We’re sorry about this. Every item of mail is important to us, so we’re working hard to keep any delays to a minimum. Thank you for your patience and understanding during these unprecedented times.

Edinburgh Mail Centre -A small amount of mail posted on Tuesday from across the UK, due for delivery today in the DD, EH, FK, KY, PH and TD postcode areas.

Glasgow Mail Centre -A small amount of mail posted on Tuesday from across the UK, due for delivery today in the G, KA, ML and PA postcode areas.

Jubilee Mail Centre -A small amount of mail posted on Tuesday from across the UK, due for delivery today in the GU, KT, SW and TW postcode areas.

Leeds Mail Centre -A small amount of mail posted on Tuesday from across the UK, due for delivery today in the BD, HD, HG, HX, LS, WF and YO postcode areas.

North West Midlands Mail Centre -A small amount of mail posted on Tuesday from across the UK, due for delivery today in the DY, ST, TF and WV postcode areas. Also, a small amount of mail posted in these postcode areas, due for delivery today across the rest of the UK.

Sheffield Mail Centre -A small amount of mail posted on Tuesday from across the UK, due for delivery today in the DN, HU, LN and S postcode areas.

Tyneside Mail Centre -A small amount of mail posted on Tuesday from across the UK, due for delivery today in the DH, DL, NE, SR and TS postcode areas.

Warrington Mail Centre -A small amount of mail posted on Tuesday from across the UK, due for delivery today in the CW, L, WA and WN postcode areas.

Staff at our Whitechapel Delivery Office have returned to work this morning, Wednesday 1 July, following yesterday's unballoted industrial action. We'll be delivering and collecting mail in all parts of the E1 and E1W postcode areas today, but volumes of mail and time of delivery may be different to normal as we work to deliver mail on-hand. Due to the revised opening times the Customer Service Point is currently closed - please check the royalmail.com/services-near-you webpage for the current opening times. We apologise for any inconvenience we may have caused you.

Barnsley Delivery Office is now open, however ongoing resourcing issues mean delivery services in the S70, S71, S72 and S75 will be attempted but may be limited again today, Wednesday 1 July 2020. Mail collections from Priority Boxes, business customers and Post Office branches will be made this afternoon. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause you.

On Friday 26 June 2020, a police incident on West George Street in Glasgow City Centre led to this, and surrounding streets being closed. Some restrictions remain in place today, Wednesday 1 July. However, we'll be delivering and collecting mail in all areas of Glasgow today where access is available to us. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause you.

A fire has destroyed the Holt Post Office which was situated inside Budgens at 6 Kerridge Way, HOLT, NR25 6DN. Holt Post Office held any items of mail which we were unable to deliver and left a 'Something for you' card. From Tuesday 23 June, all items of mail for which we leave a 'Something for you' card will be available for collection from our Sheringham Delivery Office, located at:

Royal Mail
Sheringham Delivery Office
9 Station Road
Sheringham
NR26 8AA

Canada Post Status of the Network

(source: Canada Post)

Barcelona, Spain - Embargoed Postcodes

Please see the below embargoed postcodes in Spain – Barcelona area, part of a Spanish government directive. These areas have been closed off as this is a main impact area for Coronavirus.

At this stage APC hasn't pulled the data on items being sent into this area via Seur & Correos but will keep you informed. For parcels received for these postcodes, these will be returned to the originator.

8672, 8695, 8698, 8699, 8700, 8710, 8711, 8712, 8718, 8719, 8773, 8779, 8781, 8782, 8783, 8784, 8785, 8786, 8787, 8788, 8789, 8791

Brazil Customs Requirement

We have been informed that effective January 1, 2020, Brazil Customs will require the importer's Tax Identification Number** to be provided for all items containing goods sent to recipients in Brazil.

Customs is stating that it will not accept shipments not containing this number and that items missing this information is subject to return.

Please note, APC will continue to ship all packages destined to Brazil normally, with or without the recipient Tax ID number included but recommends that you begin gathering the required information from your Brazilian recipients to minimize any potential returns due to the Tax ID number not being included on the address label.

Please contact your APC sales representative if you have questions.

_________________________________________

** In Brazil, the importer's Tax ID Number is known as CPF (format: 000.000.000-00) for natural persons and CNPJ (format: 00.000.000/0000-00) for legal persons

Secretary of Transportation Orders Suspension of Air Service Between the U.S. and Venezuela

With the approval of the Secretary of State and in close coordination with the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security, Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao has issued an order today suspending air service between the United States and Venezuela.

Federal law authorizes the Secretary of Transportation, with the approval of the Secretary of State, to take immediate action to suspend the rights of foreign and U.S. air carriers to provide service between the U.S. and foreign airports when conditions exist at those airports that threaten the safety or security of passengers, aircraft, or crew.

The Acting Secretary of Homeland Security has requested this action based on his assessment of current security conditions in Venezuela, and the Secretary of State has given his approval. Secretary Chao has agreed to the request and is exercising her statutory authority to suspend air service to Venezuela.

The Secretary's suspension order is in addition to the FAA's Notice to Airmen issued on May 1, which prohibits most U.S.-certified aircraft operators and pilots from flying below 26,000 feet over the territory of Venezuela, also for reasons of safety and security.

Through APC, as of today (but subject to change), you can continue using the following services to send parcels into Venezuela during this suspension period.

• parcelconnect Priority DDU

• parcelConnect Priority DDU Delcon

• parcelConnect USPS PQW

• parcelConnect ePMI DDU

• parcelConnect ePMEI DDU

The following APC services to Venezuela will be unavailable during this suspension period.

• All Courier services

• parcelConnect Expedited DDU

• parcelConnect Expedited DDP

• parcelConnect Priority DDP Delcon

• parcelConnect Priority DDP

Embargoed Countries

Due to international embargoes all volumes to the following destinations will cease with effect 30th July 2019:
• Iran
• North Korea
• Syria
• Sudan
• Somalia
• Ukraine (Crimea and Sevastopol only - remaining country can be dispatched)