[Urgent Important Notice] Delaware transfer and shipping delays due to confirmed COVID cases at the courier company (U.S. from January 3)
2022-01-04
Hello
As a confirmed case has suddenly occurred at the courier company, normal operations are no longer possible.
Delaware transfer and shipping operations are therefore expected to be delayed.
Below is the full notice announced by the courier company today; please refer to it.
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to your use of the service.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello,
At GSI, with daily U.S. COVID cases nearing 400,000, we have been paying close attention to quarantine measures.
Today, even our staff have had to undergo COVID testing and self-isolation.
Unfortunately, today several employees working at the GSI New Jersey warehouse were notified that family members tested positive for COVID, and
some employees who had been self-isolating due to positive family cases also tested positive.
Along with the positive results among employees who had been scheduled to return to work, the self-isolation of some staff due to family members testing positive has led to a significant shortage of working personnel.
Please make sure to note the following, and we will do our best to return to normal operations as quickly as possible.
Under current U.S. regulations, self-isolation may be lifted without additional testing 5 days after a COVID positive result; however, to prevent further spread, employees who tested positive will take another test before the end of self-isolation and are expected to return to work only after confirming a negative result.
Please refer to the following regarding operations.
- Inspection delays
We are currently in a busy year-end season, but we have completed inspections for about 90% of the cargo that arrived on 12/29 over the weekend.
We had expected to proceed on schedule this week without delayed cargo, but due to some employees being in self-isolation and undergoing testing, we expect inspection delays of about 2-3 days this week.
For customers requiring inspection, please place orders this week through the Oregon branch if possible. The Oregon branch is currently operating without delays.
- Delaware cargo transfer
The Delaware transfer is expected to proceed normally, but as noted above, delays are expected in inspection and handoff to customers.
- Airport transfer for outbound cargo
At GSI, we transport cargo to the airport using our own trucks and drivers to ensure fast delivery.
On 1/3, a family member of one of our truck drivers tested positive, and the driver will be tested today. Unfortunately, all employees who can drive large trucks have been placed in self-isolation.
Since driving a large truck requires drug testing, alcohol testing, and other requirements, it is difficult to suddenly assign a substitute employee to operate a large truck.
Because of this sudden situation, it is difficult to secure replacement staff or make new hires immediately, so cargo scheduled to ship on 1/3 & pickup cargo will not be able to be transferred to the airport today even if the outbound scan has been completed.
If a driver is arranged quickly, cargo scheduled for 1/3 is expected to be able to be dropped at the airport on 1/4 (Tue), and due to the Monday non-shipment, delays of about one day are expected this week.
However, we can only provide an exact notice for the flight departure/arrival schedule by shipment date after confirming driver availability and drop-off schedule, so we will provide daily updates as soon as this is confirmed.
We are currently looking into emergency dispatch of a trucking company or qualified drivers.
Once a driver is assigned, we believe the air freight delay caused by airport drop-off delays can be resolved immediately.
We will follow up with quick updates on operational delays and the air schedule for outbound cargo as soon as they are confirmed by our U.S. and Korea branches.
*** To ensure quick drop-off at the airport, outbound scans and palletizing will still be carried out, so for cargo that may be subject to combined taxation, please make sure it is shipped only after previously shipped cargo has arrived.
*** For cargo marked as shipped, you can check departure and arrival status at https://cargo.koreanair.com/ko using the MAWB below the tracking number (e.g., a number starting with 180, such as 180-10140000).
- Pickup customers will be contacted individually by the New Jersey branch manager separately.
Among the employees in self-isolation, those who have received negative results will be immediately assigned back to work, and all staff will do their utmost to restore operations as quickly as possible.
As noted above, we will provide quick notice for cargo marked for shipment on 1/3 as soon as a driver is secured and the air schedule is confirmed,
and for the time being, we will promptly update notices in Korea and the U.S. as soon as we can confirm the inspection delays and the air departure/arrival schedule by shipment date.
We ask for your understanding regarding this unavoidable situation, and we will do our best to minimize delays.
Thank you.
As a confirmed case has suddenly occurred at the courier company, normal operations are no longer possible.
Delaware transfer and shipping operations are therefore expected to be delayed.
Below is the full notice announced by the courier company today; please refer to it.
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to your use of the service.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hello,
At GSI, with daily U.S. COVID cases nearing 400,000, we have been paying close attention to quarantine measures.
Today, even our staff have had to undergo COVID testing and self-isolation.
Unfortunately, today several employees working at the GSI New Jersey warehouse were notified that family members tested positive for COVID, and
some employees who had been self-isolating due to positive family cases also tested positive.
Along with the positive results among employees who had been scheduled to return to work, the self-isolation of some staff due to family members testing positive has led to a significant shortage of working personnel.
Please make sure to note the following, and we will do our best to return to normal operations as quickly as possible.
Under current U.S. regulations, self-isolation may be lifted without additional testing 5 days after a COVID positive result; however, to prevent further spread, employees who tested positive will take another test before the end of self-isolation and are expected to return to work only after confirming a negative result.
Please refer to the following regarding operations.
- Inspection delays
We are currently in a busy year-end season, but we have completed inspections for about 90% of the cargo that arrived on 12/29 over the weekend.
We had expected to proceed on schedule this week without delayed cargo, but due to some employees being in self-isolation and undergoing testing, we expect inspection delays of about 2-3 days this week.
For customers requiring inspection, please place orders this week through the Oregon branch if possible. The Oregon branch is currently operating without delays.
- Delaware cargo transfer
The Delaware transfer is expected to proceed normally, but as noted above, delays are expected in inspection and handoff to customers.
- Airport transfer for outbound cargo
At GSI, we transport cargo to the airport using our own trucks and drivers to ensure fast delivery.
On 1/3, a family member of one of our truck drivers tested positive, and the driver will be tested today. Unfortunately, all employees who can drive large trucks have been placed in self-isolation.
Since driving a large truck requires drug testing, alcohol testing, and other requirements, it is difficult to suddenly assign a substitute employee to operate a large truck.
Because of this sudden situation, it is difficult to secure replacement staff or make new hires immediately, so cargo scheduled to ship on 1/3 & pickup cargo will not be able to be transferred to the airport today even if the outbound scan has been completed.
If a driver is arranged quickly, cargo scheduled for 1/3 is expected to be able to be dropped at the airport on 1/4 (Tue), and due to the Monday non-shipment, delays of about one day are expected this week.
However, we can only provide an exact notice for the flight departure/arrival schedule by shipment date after confirming driver availability and drop-off schedule, so we will provide daily updates as soon as this is confirmed.
We are currently looking into emergency dispatch of a trucking company or qualified drivers.
Once a driver is assigned, we believe the air freight delay caused by airport drop-off delays can be resolved immediately.
We will follow up with quick updates on operational delays and the air schedule for outbound cargo as soon as they are confirmed by our U.S. and Korea branches.
*** To ensure quick drop-off at the airport, outbound scans and palletizing will still be carried out, so for cargo that may be subject to combined taxation, please make sure it is shipped only after previously shipped cargo has arrived.
*** For cargo marked as shipped, you can check departure and arrival status at https://cargo.koreanair.com/ko using the MAWB below the tracking number (e.g., a number starting with 180, such as 180-10140000).
- Pickup customers will be contacted individually by the New Jersey branch manager separately.
Among the employees in self-isolation, those who have received negative results will be immediately assigned back to work, and all staff will do their utmost to restore operations as quickly as possible.
As noted above, we will provide quick notice for cargo marked for shipment on 1/3 as soon as a driver is secured and the air schedule is confirmed,
and for the time being, we will promptly update notices in Korea and the U.S. as soon as we can confirm the inspection delays and the air departure/arrival schedule by shipment date.
We ask for your understanding regarding this unavoidable situation, and we will do our best to minimize delays.
Thank you.