Global Delivery Service Alert

Delays in International Shipments

Due to the virus pandemic, COVID-19 has severely impacted international movement of people and goods as countries implement additional border controls and restrictions on international travel. As a result, airlines have drastically reduced international services, leading to a significant reduction in intercontinental air freight capacity and frequency. 

Please note that shipments to and from overseas will result in substantial delay, even as we work round the clock with our partner airlines and posts.

A. United States of America – Impact of COVID-19 on Postal Operations

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has advised that it can no longer maintain service delivery standards (i.e., on-time delivery, etc.).

USPS has changed its traditional procedures for international mail requiring signature. In lieu of asking the recipient to provide a signature, USPS delivery staff have been requested to maintain a safe distance, and ask the recipient for their first initial and family name. This information (along with delivery agent details) is entered into the mobile delivery device.

For more information, please visit USPS official website for further details:- https://www.usps.com/international/mail-shipping-services.htm#readmore

B. United Kingdom – Update On Measures to Limit The Spread of COVID-19

Royal Mail Group (Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide) has advised that as part of UK measures to minimize the spread of COVID-19, they have had to change their delivery process for all postal items requiring signature on delivery. As from 13 March 2020, items requiring a signature on delivery will not always be signed for by the recipient. Instead, in these exceptional and difficult circumstances, where the recipient has not been able to sign for the item but has duly received it, a code (XP1) will be entered into the handheld device, and this will constitute evidence of receipt.

In addition, Royal Mail Group also can no longer guarantee service delivery standards, in view of the UK Government introducing a series of measures, including self-isolation, social distancing, advising people to work from home and restricting travel with a view to minimizing the spread of COVID-19.

In addition, Royal Mail Group will suspend Saturday deliveries of untracked letters and small packets, with effect from 9 May. It will continue to deliver untracked letters and small packets from Monday to Friday as normal.

Saturday deliveries will be maintained for the majority of tracked parcel services.

For more information, please visit Royal Mail official website for further details:  https://www.royalmail.com/coronavirus

C. Australia – Measures Taken to Minimize The Spread of COVID-19

Australia Post has advised that its daily operations are being affected by precautionary measures imposed by the government requiring individuals affected by COVID-19 to self-isolate, and disruption of the services offered by airlines and other transportation providers. This is having a direct impact on service quality for both international inbound and outbound mail.

Australia Post is therefore declaring a situation of force majeure for all international letter.

For more information, please visit Australia Post official website for further details:- https://auspost.com.au/about-us/news-media/important-updates/coronavirus

D. Canada – Update On the Measures Taken to Minimize the Spread of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Canada Post has provided update of additional measures being taken in response to the spread of COVID-19.

In order to eliminate interaction with customers at their doorstep and in accordance with physical distancing requirements, Canada Post has implemented revised delivery procedures. Only international inbound items requiring the payment of customs duties and taxes will be sent from our depots to a retail post office for collection. Customers will receive a delivery notice card telling them which post office is holding their item for collection.

All other international items that would ordinarily require a signature will be left in a safe location without obtaining a signature from the recipient. This change eliminates the need for signature at the doorstep and greatly reduces the number of parcels sent to Canada Post offices for collection.

For more information, please visit Australia Post official website for further details:  https://www.canadapost.ca/cpc/en/our-company/news-and-media/corporate-news/coronavirus-disease-covid-19.page?icid=display_ddn_int_hero_covid_101#updates

E. Italy – Extension of measures taken to minimize the spread of the COVID-19

If the addressee cannot be contacted, or in the case of parcels addressed to businesses, cultural institutions, commercial activities and other entities that are temporarily closed in accordance with the Prime Ministerial Decree of 25 March 2020, items can be returned to sender after the first delivery attempt.

The list of the most affected municipalities is updated regularly and is available on the following page of the Poste Italiane website:   www.poste.it/emergenza-covid19.html.

Furthermore, in order to minimize the spread of COVID-19 and protect employees’ health by enabling processing by a single person, only parcels below 25 kg in weight, 120 cm in length and 150 cm for the three dimensions combined can be accepted. Parcels exceeding these weight and size limits will not be accepted until further notice. However, these restrictions do not apply to donations.

Poste Italiane has advised that the Italian Government has further extended the period of application of the measures aimed at minimizing the spread of COVID-19 until 3 May 2020.

F. Malaysia – Measures taken to minimize the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19)

Pos Malaysia has advised that owing to the outbreak of COVID-19 and the Restricted Movement Order enacted by the Malaysian Government, delays are expected in processing, transportation and delivery of both incoming and outgoing international shipments of all postal items.

All postal items requiring signature on delivery will no longer be signed at the moment of handover to the recipient, for health, safety and security reasons. Instead, the postman will ask for the recipient’s name and will enter this information in the signature field of the handheld device or delivery manifest. This temporary measure came into force from 16 March 2020 and remains in effect until further notice. For delivery of items to a mail room, the addressee will receive a text message or telephone call. Deliveries to premises or areas needing to be closed down due to COVID-19 are suspended.