Where to Find International COVID-19 Logistics Restrictions

Like everyone else, your business is transitioning in response to COVID-19, and one of the key questions you might be asking is: "How will my shipping/receiving operations be affected?" This need cuts across industry lines, so we felt compiling information for you regarding global logistics restrictions would be helpful.

We have Flash Global to thank for compiling much of this information and being willing to share it with all our customers. Thank you for helping everyone adapt and succeed!

Links to Global Carrier Update Pages

• UPS Updates
• FedEx Updates -- Important note: As of March 30, all services into and out of India have been suspended.
• DHL Updates –Important note: Effective April 1 and until further notice, DHL Express will apply an Emergency Situation Surcharge to all Time Definite International Shipments. 

The updates below are all marked with an effective date. We recommend that you defer to the real-time update pages for your specific carrier if that information conflicts with any of the below sections. However, this post should be a quick read to update you on the logistics situation on a global level. Thanks again to Flash Global for putting these together.

Asia and South Pacific Updates through 3/31/2020

AUSTRALIA

• March 25: A travel ban has been implemented: citizens and permanent residents are not allowed to leave Australia. All airline companies have cut down their domestic flight capacity. More facilities Australia nationwide are now closed, including community centers of all kinds, sports and fitness facilities of all kinds, libraries, museums and galleries.
• March 24: All schools in the Australian Capital Territory are closed.
• The following states have closed their borders: Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia.

CHINA

• March 12: All DHL Global Forwarding offices in China, except for Wuhan in Hubei Province, have now re-opened.
• March 4: SF, the next business day carrier, has resumed next business day airfreight shipments into Wuhan and Hubei provinces. Estimated transit time is 3-4 days. Ground service is not yet available.

INDIA

• March 25: The country was placed in lockdown effective midnight March 24 until April 14. Deliveries can be made only to businesses deemed essential. These are food, pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, groceries, banks, insurance, electronic media, telecommunications, and internet services.

JAPAN

• March 10: All domestic & international cargo flights are subject to government restrictions. Check with your carrier(s) for further details.

SOUTH KOREA

• March 6: The region has been under a “high alert status” since February 28. Many major airlines have suspended service to and from the country, which may lead to import/export delays. Please check with your carrier(s) for further details.

Europe & Africa Updates through 3/31/2020

FRANCE

• March 31: DHL update: All bookings for same-day pickup need to be made by noon. FedEx update: their service hub, which had been closed, is now back in operation.
• March 17: France closed its borders at noon local time today (March 17).

GERMANY

• March 16: Germany has closed its borders with France, Denmark, Luxembourg, Austria, and Switzerland. People can cross borders for work, but the movement of goods should be limited to what is necessary and urgent. In Bayern and Berlin, all bars, cinemas, and swimming pools will be closed. Select stores will be closed, but not grocers, pharmacies, banks, and gas stations.

ITALY

• March 17: Domestic and international pick-up and delivery services are suspended in selected postal codes in the areas of Milan, Brescia, Modena, Trento, Vicenza, and Zibido. Pick-up of shipments weighing more than 68kg and non-conveyable shipments are limited across the country. The export of Personal Protective Equipment (such as FFP2 masks, goggles or visors, protective suits, and gloves) is forbidden without prior authorization from the Department of Civil Protection.
• March 10: The government has implemented a nationwide quarantine through April 3. Ground travel for work and health reasons is permitted during the country-wide quarantine; however, travelers will be required to provide a written declaration of necessity at checkpoints.

SOUTH AFRICA

• March 27: A three-week lockdown went into effect midnight Friday local time.

SPAIN

• March 17: Due to further restrictions imposed by the government, FedEx is unable to deliver to any non-essential retail store within Spain until further notice.

SWEDEN

• March 19: Arlberg region is under quarantine.

North & Central America and Caribbean Updates through 3/31/2020

UNITED STATES

• March 30: President Trump extended the administration’s social-distancing guidelines for another 30 days through the end of April.
• March 20: New York ordered all individuals living in the state to stay home or at their place of residence, except for essential services.
• March 19: California ordered all individuals living in the state to stay home or at their place of residence, except for essential services.
• March 18: The United States border with Canada will temporarily close to non-essential traffic.
• March 16: The governors in New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut are discouraging travel from 8:00 p.m. to 5 a.m. EDT and encouraging most businesses to adhere to the recommended curfew.

PUERTO RICO

• March 30: A self-quarantine order has been issued.

CANADA 

• March 17: The government closed its borders to most nonresidents — visitors from the U.S. are exempted. This ban does not apply to trade and commerce.

MEXICO

• March 31: The government has declared a State of Emergency and enacted a nationwide self-quarantine order. Expect delays.

JAMAICA

• March 30: Until further notice, the nation is under a state of emergency and daily curfew from 20:00-06:00 local time.

Impact at Innovia

As we mentioned in a previous email to customers, Innovia Consulting largely operates as a remote workforce under ordinary circumstances, so we have been able to effectively transition to full-remote while we deal with the COVID-19 situation. While on-site visits have been delayed or changed to remote, our scheduled remote work for all customers has remained unaffected, and our project capacity and support system are operating at normal levels.

If you are struggling with transitioning your workforce to remote, we recommend looking into Microsoft Teams. It's the solution we use every day, and while we have been out of our offices, it has kept us connected and communicating. We've already published a few resources that can help you get Microsoft Teams as soon as possible and, in some cases, at little to no cost.