Shipping ceramics to Japan

[Theresa Downing]

Does anyone have experience shipping fine art to Japan and understand the requirements for the crates?

I have heard that Japan is one of the strictest when it comes to importing objects, but I do not have any guidelines.
Thank you! Theresa

[blakenoah]

Katolec Corp. (www.katolec.com/art.html) is the only shipping company in Japan that is a member ICEFAT. If you have not contacted them yet, they might be able to help you.

I don't have any personal experience shipping to Japan or with Katolec Corp. I'm located in China and the import/export rules/regs here are a totally different game. Let us know what you find out.

Good luck.

[Theresa Downing]

Thanks for your help, blakenoah. I have further questions.

The crates which were sent to us from Japan utilized both heat treated wood with the official stamps and were also fumigated because of the solid lumber feet and supports.

To reuse these crates, would I have to have them re-fumigated? And is it safe for me or other staff to work with recently fumigated crates? If methyl bromide kills bugs, is it safe for me to be working around?

[Gallagher]

If the protocols for using Methyl Bromide are adhered to, there will be no danger to you. It has a low boiling point turning into a gas at temperatures above freezing leaving no residue behind. The primary danger is when the process is being carried out in an area that is not air tight. There have been cases where someone was poisoned because of connected pipes between buildings, one of which was being treated for pests. There have also been cases of someone not handling the liquid form correctly and were poisoned through their skin, although inhaling the gas was more common. In any case you will not be in any danger.

As far as reusing crates that have been fumigated in the past, I believe you can, or at least that was common practice. I've often wondered about the practice assuming that they could be contaminated if mingled with other contaminated wood products. There was concern about a nematode that traveled from country to country through untreated conifer lumber used for pallet construction and would "infect" and damage the forests of the destination country. I always thought and still do, that if that is true, then storing heat treated crates in an area that could be contaminated could negate the benefit of heat treating the lumber to begin with. As a result of the ban, we have used only man-made wood products for crate construction. Sorry about the tangent there and I suggest talking with your shipping agent about reusing the crates to be sure.

Dave

[Galvinee]

If the protocols for using Methyl Bromide are adhered to, there will be no danger to you. It has a low boiling point turning into a gas at temperatures above freezing leaving no residue behind. The primary danger is when the process is being carried out in an area that is not air tight. There have been cases where someone was poisoned because of connected pipes between buildings, one of which was being treated for pests. There have also been cases of someone not handling the liquid form correctly and were poisoned through their skin, although inhaling the gas was more common. In any case you will not be in any danger.

Dave

Well dear, I am in business of fine arts and i was searching about shipping ceramics to japan from last two days but i failed to achieve sufficient information relating to it.Here, i read your post and i am totally agree with you.I hope you will keep helping us in future days.