Quarantine treatment of containers, weir timbers and pallets
Wood is in many cases infested with wood boring insects. These can be soft borers or insects that attack the core of timber. Many of the wood boring insects are considered quarantine pests. Also nematodes can be spread with wood. This is not only relevant for transport of timber but equally for wood used for transport (e.g. pallets, dunnage,, wooden crates, wood curvings and antefacts…).
Various countries have very strict requirements on fumigation of timber and timber products. Timber products must be fumigated according to the new ISPM 15 standard.
GFS and a few others have the necessary technology and capability to carry out this requirement.
Due to transport of various cargos, sometimes very attractive for insects (i.e. fishmeal, feedstuff…) a hold can, if not well disinfected, be the origin of re-infestation of cargo charged for its next voyage. Prior to charging it is thus required that after thorough cleaning, the cargo hold is disinfected to kill eggs, larvae and insects that hide in cracks or cavities.