Annisette: No delays at PoS port

SEAMEN and Waterfront Workers Trade Union president Michael Annisette said on Wednesday no unusual delays are being experienced in clearing items from the Port of Spain port.

Newsday had received reports of people having difficulty clearing cargo shipped to the port.

Annisette said, "What I am aware of is that due to the covid19, the time allocated to get your cargo or the appointment time can take as much as one week and in some instances, two weeks or more."

The Port Authority's acting public relations manager Wendell Yearwood said, "We wish to advise that there are currently no delays being experienced at PPOS neither is there any industrial action taking place."

In a statement issued on November 11, the authority's cargo handling business unit (the Port of Port of Spain – PPOS) said it had launched the Shed 10 barrel shop appointment system, in keeping with covid19 protocols, to provide improved service for customers to receive their personal effects and trade cargo.

When someone receives shipping documents from an agent, that agent will give them information on how to contact the Port Authority. Appointments are made by speaking directly with a customer service representative (CSR).

Once a person's cargo is ready for collection, the CSR will issue the next available appointment date for the recipient to visit the one-stop barrel shop at the port.

A second way to make an appointment to collect personal effects or trade cargo is to send a clear picture of the shipping documents via WhatsApp to 746-5451. Once personal effects/cargo are verified for collection, the CSR sends back a WhatsApp response about the next available date to collect their items.

On the date of the appointment, customers are required to follow specific health and safety protocols before they can collect their items.

These include temperature screening; sanitising in a designated area; taking a number on entering the waiting area; presenting the appointment number and identification to the clerk at the waiting area for verification ;and then sitting in the waiting area to collect their items.