US declares war on pesky snails

Bermuda snails may seem an unlikely threat.

But these little critters have been classified as ‘invasive species’ by the US Department of Agriculture.

Firms that fail to ensure their containers return to the US ‘snail-free’ face huge fines that can spiral to tens of thousands of dollars, which make the work of Tommy Chiappa and his small team absolutely vital.

They are responsible for scouring and searching every container that leaves Bermuda for snails.

Mr Chiappa told the Bermuda Sun that his firm also had to inspect all departing containers for placards and damage.

Mr Chiappa added: “There have been several occasions where a container has had to be put aside to be power washed to remove hundreds of small snails.

“We carry out all of the inspections for all three vessels calling into Bermuda on a regular basis.

“The work times vary as the ships may encounter bad weather or may be called to assist another vessel, which in turn delays the arrival time.

“We can be required to conduct inspections on Sundays and holidays between 8am to 10pm once the ships have been discharged of their cargo.”

Mr Chiappa’s firm, TC Associates Ltd, is also charged with removing hazard labels, such as ‘flammable’ or ‘corrosive’ from containers, as well as checking for damage prior to their departure.

He added: “It is against the law in the US to move a trailer on the US highways with ID labels that are not compliant with the contents of the trailer.

“Damage is also part of our reporting service as there are times when a container may be placed on top of an object that protrudes from the ground and punches a hole in the bottom of the container.

“This is only noticeable from the outside of the container when it is placed onto the bumper which is 8.5ft in height.”

Tjerk Neijmeijer, Vice-President of Administration and Equipment Control, for Bermuda Container Line, said: “It’s a really important job that these guys do.

“These snails are all over Bermuda and incredibly hard to get rid of. They often attach themselves to containers that have been left on the grass for a long period of time.

“There are big fines for any shipping line that gets caught with snails on their containers so you don’t want to be caught importing them into the US accidentally.”

George Butterfield, manager of Meyer Freight, added: “If APHIS determined that the shipping lines were not doing enough to block snails, or other invasive species, from entering the US, those carriers would be subject to fines, and more significantly, they could be forced to implement new procedures which could add significantly to overall transportation costs.”