Operational Restrictions

• For specific container limitations, please contact local office

2. Terminal Limitation

• Please see above 

 3. Transhipment Restrictions

• Subject to local laws

4. Dangerous Cargo

• Bremerhaven and Hamburg: DG cargo to be reported 24 hrs prior to arrival
• Following materials are to be approved: Class 1 - 4.2 - 4.3 - 5 and 7
• When you want to ship tank containers of hazardous nature with us, please provide following documents:
• cleaning certificate
• hazardous certificate / shippers declaration

5.  Customs Requirements

The ports of Bremerhaven and Hamburg are liable to the general customs laws of the European Community (EC). In general we differentiate between Free Ports (Eurogate Bremerhaven & HHLA/Bukai Hamburg) and Non-Free Ports (HHLA/CTA Hamburg)

• Import:

Free Ports:
All containers can be discharged without Customs Summary Declaration in the free port area (only until Dec 31st 2007).
Remark: EU Commission in collaboration with local port authorities currently reviews possible elimination of the free port status.

Non-Free Port:
All containers shall be discharged with Customs Summary Declaration based on manifested shipper's load stow count details in the Non-Free Port area, latest 24 hours prior discharge of the mother vessel (via EDI).

Genaral:
Customs Clearance or generation of Transit Document referring to shipper's load stow and count shall be carried out before leaving the Free Port/Non-Free Port area. For transportation based on Transit Document Customs Clearance shall be arranged at the place of delivery.
In general Customs Clearance is carried out by the consignee (or their service provider).

OOCL also gladly offers Customs Clearance and Transit Document services on request

• Export:

Each container/cargo designated to be exported out of the EC has to be declared at the shipper's customs-office (Form EX-1) The submission of the export declaration data can also be carried out electronically.

• Hamburg
  
  A "B-Number" will be issued after declaration; after that the shipper needs to present the original export document at the customs-house latest 24 hours prior to the departure of the vessel (a "B-Number" procedure is available and can be inquired for via e-mail).
  As of 1. April 2007 full electronic export declaration "Z-Number" is applicable. "B-Number" process will be allowed for further three years before being ceased.
   
• Bremerhaven
  
  Same principle as in Hamburg, here named "BHT-Number" ("Z-Number" not yet commenced).
   
• For ocean transhipment cargo no customs document is necessary. A declared export from another EC country has to be demonstrated only on rare occasions.
   
• For land transhipment cargo a B-Number resp. BHT-Number has to be applied for. For export proof purposes the transhipment customs clearance procedure is sufficient.

In general the creation of B/BHT Number is carried out by Customs Broker/Forwarder.
OOCL also gladly offers Customs Brokerage services on request (contact Rüdiger Wüst, Tel. ++49-421-1605872).