SCPHA Operational Release
26th September 2023
Suffolk Coastal Port Health Authority (SCPHA) seeks to provide operational directives relating to consignments requiring action from SCPHA. This includes consignments which are under Port Health hold, where official controls are not mandated, but a release must be secured.
Email subject
When submitting documentation for consignments which need a release as they have a PH hold the following requirements must be met. Please include in the subject –
- Estimated Time of Arrival
- Container or Trailer Reference
- UCN for the consignment
Documents to enable release
As a minimum standard to release your consignment which is detained, we require an Invoice, Bill of Lading and Packing List. Please ensure you submit these documents when requesting a release.
Don’t chase!
Please do not send chaser emails for consignments, this restricts our team from dealing with consignments and releasing efficiently.
Plastic imports
If you are requesting release on a consignment which contains plastic which comes into contact with foodstuffs, please provide the type of plastic which has been used to manufacture the product.
For items which contain bamboo or similar plant based products the following needs to be considered – https://www.porthealth.uk/updates/plastic-food-contact-materials-comprising-bamboo-and-similar-substances-deemed-non-compliant/
What is the Intended use?
For products such as Chemicals, Pharmaceuticals and additives please indicate on submission of documents the intended use. Will the product be used for Food, Feed, Technical etc?
Products of Animal Origin
If you import products containing Products of Animal Origin but official controls are not required, please ensure you provide sufficient information to obtain release.
Please provide a statement from the exporter clearly identifying this particular consignment, or from the manufacturer dated less than 6 months from dispatch detailing;
– The ingredients list including the % of any animal product present. (This should be a list of the actual ingredients and not nutritional information such as amount of protein or carbohydrates present)
– The country of origin of any animal product present
– Where dairy ingredients are present, details of the heat treatment(s) (with starting pH) the raw milk underwent during the manufacture of the dairy ingredients before they were incorporated into the final product
– The brand
EDocs reminder
For documents requiring official controls (CHEDP, CHEDD, IUU, PDD, Organics) please submit your correspondence to our EDocs email address. This will be actioned as required – edocs@scpha.gov.uk
For efficient processing –
- Please make sure you include both the Container Number and Estimated Arrival Date within the subject of your emails;
- Please ensure your documents are in Colour;
- Documents to be scanned in the following order – CHED-P/CHED-D/PDD/Organic, Health Cert., Test Report, Bill of Lading, Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Misc. Docs., IUU Article 14, IUU Catch Certs;
Please see our website for more information: https://www.porthealth.eu/updates/edocs/
Organic document submission
If you import organic goods through SCPHA we require either the original Certificate of Inspection (COI) or a colour PDF from the Issuing Body.
For PDF COIs, the COI must be emailed by the Issuing Control Body to the destination address / GB Importer. The email should then be uploaded to the PHILIS DES notification or forwarded to the Port Health team as part of the pre-notification email.
It is essential that Port Health can confirm the PDF COI originated from the Issuing Control Body.
