Intermodal Excellence

Transcription

1 CN Brampton Import Storage Policy Frequently Asked Questions Q: What is CN s free-time allowance to pick up import containers at Brampton Intermodal? A: Import containers are subject to no additional storage charges when they are removed from Brampton Intermodal prior to 07:00 on the second calendar day after the container is available for pick up. Imports remaining in CN Brampton after the expiry of free time are charged at $200 per 24-period or part thereof. Q: Why did CN reduce the free time at Brampton Intermodal? A: The rapid growth in international trade is placing a strain on all components of the supply chain. CN is preparing itself, and thereby positioning its customers, to capitalize on this growth. Capacity-creating initiatives (such as the expansion of traditional working hours and the provision of reserved capacity) developed as part of CN s Intermodal Excellence program have enabled CN to assist its customers in growing their business. CN s recent announcement of a change to the free-time provisions at its Brampton terminal is another initiative designed to create the capacity required for its customers to continue growing. CN believes its customers are better served by ensuring their costs are related to the infrastructure they consume. Customers that pick up their imports upon arrival should not be required to incur the costs associated with storage-related infrastructure expansion. Similarly customers who require the infrastructure to store their import containers should be prepared to pay for that infrastructure. Q: When does free time start? A: The free time begins when the import is made available for pick up. The import is available for pick up when the Status Status displayed in CN evelocity s Quick Trace or Intermodal Shipment Status is Load Deramped. Note there does not have to be a 1 st Storage Date displayed in Intermodal Shipment Status for the container to be available. Q: How is my free time calculated? A: Free days, and accumulated storage charges, accrue as follows: Day 0 Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Import Available 07:00 07:00 Day of Availability Free Day $200 $400 Page 1

2 Q: How do I determine when my import will be available to be picked up? A: To assist importers to begin their pick up planning process sooner, CN is providing pad availability time for import containers at noon the day before the container is available on the pad. This will enable importers to make their receiving arrangements before their container arrives at the terminal. Q: Where do I see the pad availability? A: Using CN evelocity s Quick Trace. When the ETA ETA displayed in Quick Trace states Deramped Deramped, it is displaying the pad availability. When the ETA ETA states Arrived Brampton Intermodal, it is based on the train schedule. Note the published pad availability is generally conservative it is designed to ensure availability by the published time. Q: How does an early availability affect my free time? A: The day of availability will be the later of the actual pad availability or the published pad availability. Q: When can I make my appointment to pick up my import at CN Brampton? A: You may make an appointment to pick up your import at CN Brampton: 1) After the appointment system opens the system opens at 08:45, three week days in advance (ie opens 08:45 for Thursday, Wednesday at 08:45 for Monday, etc), and 2) For a time after the published ETA of the import. If no pick up appointment is made prior to the grounding of an import, it will be moved to CN s off-site storage facility (CN MISC). Note however, that imports may ground before their scheduled pad availability. To ensure an import remains at CN Brampton, do not wait until the pad availability day to make your pick up appointment. Q: Can I make an appointment to pick up my import before the pad availability is confirmed? A: A pick up appointment may be made before pad availability is confirmed (i.e. before 12:00 noon the day before scheduled availability) provided it is made for a time after the preliminary ETA. If an appointment is so made, its validity must be reconfirmed after pad availability is established. If pad availability results in an existing appointment being unable to be fulfilled, an alert will be sent to the registered address of the appointment requestor. Users should ensure their registered addresses are current. Page 2

3 Q: What is the recommended procedure to monitor my import s movement to CN Brampton? A: 1) Arrange for customs release before the import arrives at CN Brampton. Customs clearance for FCL can start as of 00:01 the day the vessel is arriving in port. Remanifesting of consolidated shipments can begin once the container arrives on Canadian soil. 2) Ensure you have your pick up number. Pick up numbers are provided to the steamship lines as soon as CN receives their manifest of containers. 3) CN evelocity s Quick Trace will display a preliminary ETA as soon as the port loads the import to rail. This ETA is based on the train s schedule and, if the train has departed, the actual performance of the train. By 12:00 noon the day before scheduled availability, the ETA displayed by Quick Trace will be updated to reflect the pad availability. 4) Begin tracing your import online using CN evelocity s Quick Trace tool as soon as your vessel arrives in port. Once your import is on a train, Quick Trace will provide a preliminary indication of your import s availability at CN Brampton. Work with your steamship line to address any steamship Holds. 5) On a daily basis check the scheduled availability of your import. 6) Once pad availability is displayed, make your arrangements (with your trucker/warehouse/receiver) to pick up the import container. Book your pick up appointment with CN to ensure your preferred time is available. If the pad availability is input after 12:00 noon the day before scheduled availability the free time will be extended by one day. 7) Certain circumstances may result in the import being available after the displayed pad availability time. In order to prevent a dead run when a pick up appointment is made close to the displayed pad availability, the actual pad availability should be monitored. Alternatively the pick up appointment should be booked for the day after the displayed pad availability. Q: How do I confirm that my import is available to be picked up at Brampton? A: Use CN evelocity s, Intermodal Shipment Status. If the Status Status is Deramped Deramped, the shipment is available to be picked up and the storage clock has started. If the 1st Storage Date is blank, the container is available on a rail car. If the 1st Storage Date is provided, the container is available in the stacks. Page 3

4 Q: What other options are available if I am unable to pick up my container within the free time? A: CN provides lower cost off-site storage for customers unable to pick up their import containers within the free time. Import containers for which no pick up appointment has been made at the time of grounding at CN Brampton will be moved to CN s Mississauga Intermodal Service Center (MISC) for storage. Containers placarded as Dangerous Goods, running reefer containers, containers that have not been released by Canada Customs, and containers arriving from the Port of Montreal or Chicago will not be transferred. Alternatively importers may select from a variety of service providers who will remove their container from CN Brampton within the free time and store it until the importer is ready to receive it. Q: What are the storage rates at CN Misc? A: $125 for the day of availability (at CN Brampton) and the next two days (up to 07:00 on day 3), or part thereof, plus $75 for each additional 24-hours or part thereof. Storage days, and accumulated storage charges, are as follows: Day 0 Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Brampton Import 07:00 07:00 Day of Availability Free Day $200 $400 Misc Day of Availability Day of Availability plus Two Days for $125 $125+$75 Q: My import is arriving from the Port of Halifax and has not departed on a train before the end of the day on Friday. Is there any way to signify my intent to pick up my import at Brampton without making a pick up appointment? A: For imports over the Port of Halifax that have arrived at the port and may arrive at CN Brampton on the weekend (ie they have not departed the Port of Halifax before 17:00 on Friday), you may send an to [email protected] by 17:00 Friday indicating the container initials and number and indicating that you want the container to remain at CN Brampton. You must still make a pick up appointment to pick up the container, however it will remain at Brampton and be subject to the Brampton storage rules. This process is only for Port of Halifax weekend imports and the must be received by 17:00 Eastern Time on Friday. Page 4

5 Q: If my import container spends one day at BIT and is moved to MISC, how will the storage be calculated? A: Storage will be based on the terminal from where you pick up the container. If you pick up the container at BIT, the BIT storage tariff applies. If you pick up the container at MISC, the MISC storage tariff will apply from the time of availability at BIT. Q: How will I know where my import container is located? A: Use CN s evelocity s Intermodal Shipment Status. If a container has the status of Highway Arrival, Mississauga Int Ser, ON it is at MISC. Note that if a shipment has been removed from a railcar at Brampton but, at the time of grounding, did not have an appointment to be picked up, it may be in transit to MISC. Q: When my import is at CN Misc and the 1 st Storage Date is in the future, why do I have a storage balance of $125? A: Upon movement to MISC a storage fee of $125 accrues immediately and provides for up to two days of storage. Additional storage charges of $75 per day will begin on the third day after the import is available to be picked up (the 1st Storage Date indicates the first day where the incremental daily charge of $75 applies). Q: Are there any other fees or gate charges associated with picking up an import from MISC? A: No, only the storage fee. Q: Do I require an appointment to pick up my import at CN Misc? A: No, but you must ensure all storage charges are guaranteed before arriving at the terminal. Q: I am planning to pick up my import at MISC. Can I drop off my export at MISC? A: No. Exports must continue to be dropped off at BIT. In the future, MISC will offer a staging service for customers that are unable to secure an export appointment at BIT on their preferred shipping day. Q: How is the free time adjusted if my import is called for a Customs examination? A: You will receive a one-day credit for any day, or part thereof, when your container is off CN s property for a Customs examination. Q: How do I determine my import s storage charges? A: Check your import using CN evelocity s Intermodal Shipment Status. Page 5

6 Q: How do I guarantee my storage charges? A: If you are a credit customer you may guarantee your storage charges using CN s evelocity s Intermodal Shipment Status. You may guarantee by dollar amount or guarantee all storage charges up to a specified date. If you guarantee by dollar amount you will be offered increments of $200 for containers in CN Brampton or $75 for containers in CN Misc (if you guarantee more than the amount owing you will be invoiced for the amount owing, not the amount guaranteed). Q: Can I guarantee my storage charges before my container arrives at CN Brampton? A: At this time you are unable to guarantee storage charges prior to the grounding of your import at the destination terminal. Q: Under what circumstances will my free time be extended? A: If no pad availability is displayed by 12:00 noon the day before the import is available to be picked up, the free time will be extended by one day. If the actual pad availability is later than the scheduled pad availability such that your appointment must be rescheduled, the free time will be extended by one day. Page 6