Worries Of Alien Invaders Arriving In Container Shipments Of Christmas Trees

US – Alien invasion is the last thing on one’s mind when purchasing a Christmas tree but Customs officers in the fifty first state have to be particularly on their guard at this time of the year. Shipping containers of Christmas trees from the mainland into the island state of Hawaii carries risks that most shoppers, keen to recreate that traditional feeling, would never contemplate.

Local press reports indicate that a shipment of sixty two reefer units loaded in the Pacific North West carried more than declared on the manifest. Matson Navigation, regular suppliers to the islands will ship an estimated 100,000 trees to Hawaii prior to the Christmas festival and naturally some will carry a few ‘visitors’.

The problem is that the slugs, salamanders and tree frogs which turn up are not usually native to the tropical island and no chances can be taken when the invasion by an alien species is likely to occur so all risks have to be eliminated by careful screening and fumigation where appropriate. Regular readers will understand the devastation caused when non native species take to their new surroundings with relish as our March article highlighted.

Although this is an American tale all shippers and freight forwarders should take note of their responsibilities when transporting consignments which might harbour life forms unwanted at the delivery point.