MTMC FEELS PINCH FROM EUROPE’s FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE

MTMC FEELS PINCH FROM EUROPEÆS FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE    The U.S. Military Traffic Management, the overland and ocean transportation logistics unit of the armed forces, is feeling the pinch of Europe’s efforts to stop the transmission of the foot-and-mouth disease.
   Last week, MTMC’s 60 containers of perishables and meats aboard the Sealand Performance was stopped by Dutch government officials at the Port of Rotterdam.
   “We are at a crisis level in the Netherlands right now,” said Col. Tom E. Thompson, operations officer for MTMC. “The Netherlands has embargoed the movement of container cargoes of food that are either refrigerated or frozen.”
   Most affected by the restrictions are the Army-Air Force Exchange System, Defense Commissary Agency, Troop Issue Subsistence Activity and Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Europe region. Similar restriction are in effect in the United Kingdom, Turkey and parts of France.
   In response, MTMC will be disinfecting cargo containers, equipment and privately owned vehicles.
   “We are talking to the Military Sealift Command, Europe and our contractors to implement and execute United States disinfecting requirements for loading Department of Defense equipment and privately owned vehicles aboard ships in European ports,” said Col. John Brown, commander at MTMC in Europe.
   American Auto Logistics, MTMC’s contracted private vehicle handler, is voluntarily washing vehicles with disinfectant at its expense to prevent the spread of the disease in Europe.
   “We want to ensure the vehicles do not spread the disease and at the same time we want to meet shipping required delivery dates,” said Sandy Santianna, customer service and logistics manager for American Auto Logistics.