Shipping prerequisites
The conditions to be met before any handover to the carrier.
Vastorg has drawn up these prerequisites on the basis of the requirements of express carriers, the constraints specific to the international transport of wine and champagne, and the incidents most frequently observed. They describe the conditions to be met before any handover to the carrier.
Where applicable, these prerequisites are supplemented by the conditions of carriage and packaging requirements of the carrier actually selected for the shipment. In the event of any discrepancy, the carrier's requirements and the applicable regulatory provisions prevail.
1. Packaging
The shipper is responsible for ensuring that the packaging system as a whole is suited to the contents shipped, to their weight and dimensions, and to the constraints of international express transport. Compliance with any single packaging characteristic does not, on its own, guarantee strength or freedom from damage.
Consequences of non-compliant packaging
Non-compliant packaging exposes the shipper to three distinct consequences:
- Refusal of the parcel at collection
- Application of irregular-parcel surcharges
- Refusal of compensation in the event of damage
Prohibited packaging
The following packaging configurations are not suited to the constraints of international express transport:
| Packaging | Reason |
|---|---|
| Estate presentation carton (single-wall) | Insufficient compression strength. Designed for cellar-door sales or hand delivery, not for automated sorting and stacking. |
| Reused delivery carton | Structure weakened by a first transport cycle: crushed fluting, worn flaps. |
| Carton with no individual bottle restraint | Contact between bottles is the leading cause of breakage observed. |
| Oversized carton filled with paper or bubble wrap | The wedging must prevent movement, not merely fill the void. Above all, a bottle must not be able to move. |
| Wooden case | Wood transmits shocks without absorbing them. Bottles must never be transported in their wooden case. |
| Insulated packaging alone (polystyrene, metallised film) | Slows thermal variations but provides no mechanical protection whatsoever. |
| Carton showing signs of crushing, damp or loss of rigidity | Moisture reduces the mechanical strength of corrugated board and compromises the rigidity of the parcel. Packaging that has become damp or deformed, or that has lost its rigidity, must not be used. |
| Bottles separated by a simple lightweight divider | Separation alone is not enough to prevent contact between bottles under impact. |
| Bottles wrapped in paper or bubble wrap with no restraint system | The material compresses and shifts. It does not hold the bottles in place over time. |
| Loose cushioning materials liable to settle | The volume they occupy decreases during transport and allows the bottles to move. |
Required packaging
The following packaging requirements are necessary to meet the constraints of international express transport:
| Element | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Structure | Double-wall corrugated board as a minimum, with a compression strength of at least ECT 32 (Edge Crush Test). Triple-wall recommended above six bottles and on long-haul corridors. |
| Bottle restraint | Individual wedging of each bottle by cross-divider, moulded tray or cellular insert. No possible contact between two bottles, or between a bottle and a wall of the carton. |
| Neck protection | The neck and the capsule must be protected. |
| Format | Carton sized to the exact number of bottles. No intermediate size padded out with filler. |
| Closure | Packaging tape along the three top and three bottom seams, in an H pattern. Do not use string or household adhesive tape. |
| Marking | No indication of the contents on the outside of the parcel, unless specifically required by the destination country. The parcel must bear only the markings, labels and documents required by the carrier and by the applicable regulations. |
| Condition of the carton | Dry, rigid carton, free of deformation, with no trace of damp or loss of rigidity. |
| Base | The base must bear the total weight of the parcel. Reinforcement is recommended above six bottles. |
Sizing and pricing impact
Carriers charge on the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight, the latter being calculated from the outer dimensions of the parcel. The calculation formula, the volumetric divisor and the rounding rules vary according to the carrier and the service selected.
Where the declared dimensions or weight do not match those recorded at collection, the carrier recalculates and applies a price correction, which is re-invoiced to the shipper.
Markings on the carton
A “Fragile” marking on the parcel has no protective value. It changes neither the handling of the parcel in automated sorting centres nor the assessment of a compensation claim.
Checks at collection
Parcels are handed over closed and ready for transport. Neither Vastorg nor the carrier opens the parcel to check:
- the actual number of bottles
- the quality of the internal wedging
- the individual immobilisation of the bottles
- the condition of the carton
- the presence of thermal protection
The absence of reservations at the time of collection therefore does not amount to validation of the packaging's compliance. A deficiency that is not visible from the outside may be identified later.
Refusal or reservation
Where, before collection, a parcel shows an obvious anomaly liable to compromise its transport, it may be refused for carriage, made the subject of a repacking request, or accepted subject to reservations where the carrier allows it.
2. Temperatures
Express parcels travel in aircraft holds and vehicles that are not temperature-controlled. They may be left standing on a loading dock, on the tarmac, in a sorting centre or in a stationary vehicle.
Thermal risk does not depend on the maximum temperature alone. It results from the combination of temperature, duration of exposure, rate of variation and the characteristics of the product.
Risks
Four effects combine:
- Organoleptic alteration. Heat accelerates the chemical reactions in wine. Fruity and floral aromas fade, and oxidised or cooked notes appear. The damage is irreversible and invisible from the outside of the parcel.
- Cork push-out and leakage. The wine expands, exerts pressure on the closure and pushes the cork out. Air seeps in and oxidation sets in. With sparkling wines, the internal pressure amplifies the phenomenon.
- Breakage. Thermal shock weakens the glass. In cold conditions, the wine freezes, expands and can shatter the bottle or expel the cork.
- Deterioration of presentation. Heat and humidity loosen labels, tarnish capsules and warp gift boxes.
Thresholds
Temperatures refer to the forecasts at the place of collection, along the route and at the place of delivery, over the entire duration of carriage.
| Forecast | Course of action |
|---|---|
| Between 5 °C and 22 °C | Normal shipment. |
| Above 22 °C or below 5 °C | The risk of irreversible damage is high. We recommend postponing your shipment. |
As these limits approach, it is preferable to postpone your shipment by a few days if you are able to. Failing that, we recommend:
- an express service with the shortest transit time available
- collection at the start of the week
- avoiding a departure immediately before a weekend or a public holiday
- notifying the consignee so that they receive or collect the parcel without delay
Transit time
The choice of departure date must take account of weather forecasts, the announced transit time, weekends and public holidays, the consignee's closure periods and the risk of customs holds at destination.
The transit time announced by the carrier is a service objective and is not guaranteed. The actual transit time is frequently longer than the announced one.
Vastorg controls neither the duration nor the conditions of any standing, temporary storage or handling that may occur within the carrier's network in the event of delay, incident, inspection or hold.
Delays, holds and returns
Thermal risk is not confined to the initial journey. A parcel may be exposed to adverse conditions in the event of a flight delay, a sorting incident, an incorrect address, an absent consignee, incomplete customs formalities, refusal of delivery, rerouting or return to the shipper.
For sensitive products, the shipper must factor in the risk of a transit time longer than initially planned.
No compensation
Alteration of the wine by temperature is not damage covered by the ad valorem insurance, which covers breakage, loss and theft. Nor does it engage the carrier's liability, provided the parcel was carried in accordance with the service subscribed to.
The choice of shipping date rests with the shipper. Vastorg does not provide any temperature-controlled transport and cannot guarantee the thermal conditions encountered during carriage.
3. Formalities and regulatory compliance
Depending on the destination country, the product and the consignee, requirements may relate in particular to:
- the admissibility of alcoholic beverages for import
- the authorisations or licences required
- duties, taxes and excise
- labelling
- the quantities permitted
- the age of the consignee
- customs documents
- certificates specific to wine and vine products
The shipper must ensure that the consignment is legally admissible at destination and that the consignee is in a position to import it. Requirements differ from country to country and must be checked before each shipment.
Acceptance of a shipment by Vastorg or by the carrier does not constitute authorisation to import, sell or release the goods for consumption in the destination country. It is for the shipper to verify all the conditions applicable to their shipment.
4. Preserving evidence
For sensitive or high-value shipments, we recommend keeping the following before collection:
- a photograph of the contents and of the wedging system
- a photograph of the open parcel before closing
- a photograph of the closed parcel with the label legible
- the gross weight and outer dimensions of the parcel
- the invoice or any other proof of value
These elements make it easier to analyse an incident and determine its cause.
5. Responsibilities
The shipper is responsible for:
- the choice of packaging and its suitability for the contents
- the protection and individual immobilisation of each bottle
- the closure and integrity of the parcel before handover to the carrier
- the accuracy of the information provided when placing the order
- the compliance of the shipment with the rules applicable in the countries of departure and destination
- the accuracy of the commercial, customs and regulatory documents supplied
- the choice of a shipping date compatible with seasonal risks and the known constraints of the route
- the declared value of the goods and the supporting evidence of that value
Vastorg carries out the shipper's instructions and passes on to the carrier the information needed to process the shipment, on the basis of the details provided by the shipper.
Vastorg is not involved in the preparation, packaging or physical inspection of parcels, which are collected sealed from the shipper's premises.
Vastorg controls neither the shipping date chosen by the shipper nor the regulatory compliance of the consignment.