673 - 01/10 - Reefer Container Downloads - Israel

The Association would like to inform Members of the requirements governing the import of food cargoes to Israel. A couple of recent cases have emerged and highlighted the regulations imposed by the Israeli Ministry of Health (MOH).

The MOH requires that all food cargoes being imported into Israel, in a refrigerated container, are accompanied by the reefer temperature graph, usually downloaded from the container itself. This requirement has been in place for a number of years in Israel but it appears that it has been more stringently enforced in recent months.

The requirements state that the temperature records should be supplied from the time the phytosanitary certificate is issued until release/discharge. It is important that the data is supplied from the container and not from a recorder placed inside the container or between the cargo, due to the difficulties encountered when trying to prove that the recorder has been inside the container for the entire period.

Problems normally arise from the fact that some data is missing due to days in transshipment ports, times when the reefer has been temporarily unplugged or because of computer faults. The Association would advise Members to take note of this requirement and contact either their local agent or correspondent if in any doubt.

Source of information:

Robert Crichton

Claims Executive, Syndicate 2