Stinky bugs reportedly have delayed four car carriers from unloading their wheeled cargo in New Zealand.
The local website stuff.co.nz said two types of stink bug were found on the car carrier Glovis Caravel, operated by Japanese shipping company Mitsui OSK Lines, last weekend and the ship, bound for Auckland, was redirected after a check conducted at sea.
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The vehicles on such ships are not necessarily new as the country imports as many vehicles used as it does new, mostly from Japan.
NZ, which closed its last CKD assembly plant 20 years ago, is a primary products producer and the brown marmorated stink bug, native to Japan, poses a risk to Kiwi grown apples, kiwifruit, corn, tomatoes, cherries and wheat, according to the report.
Stuff said the insects hibernate in contained spaces during the northern hemisphere winter. They release a chemical when threatened, emitting a pungent odour.
A shipping company spokesman told stuff.co.nz the company was looking for ports in Australia where the redirected ship could be fumigated of its unwanted stowaways.
The report said three car carriers had already reached NZ shores with stink bug infestations this month – Armacup’s Tokyo Car, Mitsui OSK Line’s Courageous Ace, and Toyofuji’s Sepang Express – but all three were turned away and the normally busy port was largely empty of cars on Wednesday.
“It’s had a huge effect. Just about every manufacturer has been affected into New Zealand,” a spokesman told Stuff.
“Japan is high risk and there are some meetings being held very soon to discuss the whole car industry at the moment.”
The report said Mitsui OSK had conducted a check of all ships bound for New Zealand after bugs were discovered on the Courageous Ace.
Thirty dead brown marmorated stink bugs had been found on board the Sepang Express which was treated with a knock down spray. A further 19 bugs were found subsequently on the vessel along with other insects.
So far, about 6,000 cars and heavy vehicles were unable to be unloaded but were expected back at the port once approved for import, stuff.co.nz said.
