5 Pallet-Related Reasons Sri Lankan Export Shipments Get Rejected at Customs

A customs rejection at a foreign port can mean days of delays, significant unexpected costs, and damage to your relationship with the buyer. Many rejections that Sri Lankan exporters face are caused not by the goods themselves, but by the pallets carrying them. Here are the five most common pallet-related reasons — and how to avoid every one of them.

1. No IPPC Stamp on the Pallet

This is the single most common reason wooden packaging is stopped at customs. If the pallet does not carry the IPPC mark — the official stamp confirming ISPM 15 compliance — it will be flagged regardless of whether it was actually treated.

The IPPC stamp must be physically burned, branded, or ink-marked into the wood. It must show the country code, producer registration number, and treatment method. Labels are not acceptable.

How to avoid it: Source your pallets from a registered IPPC manufacturer. Every pallet from CeyPall carries the IPPC mark as standard.

2. Wrong Treatment Method for the Destination Country

Pallets stamped "MB" (methyl bromide fumigation) are not accepted in the European Union or the United Kingdom. Exporters who purchase MB-treated pallets and ship them to European buyers will face rejection at the EU border, regardless of whether the treatment was carried out correctly.

How to avoid it: Always use heat-treated (HT) pallets. HT is accepted in all ISPM 15 countries including the EU, USA, UK, Australia, and the Middle East.

3. Missing or Invalid Treatment Certificate

Many customs authorities — particularly in the EU and Australia — require a treatment certificate accompanying the shipment, not just the stamp on the pallet. If no certificate is provided, or if the certificate does not match the details on the pallet, the shipment may be held for further inspection.

How to avoid it: Ensure your pallet manufacturer provides a treatment certificate with every order. CeyPall issues an official heat treatment certificate for every batch produced.

4. Damaged or Illegible IPPC Stamp

A pallet that has been dropped, soaked, or roughly handled may have a stamp that is partially obscured or illegible. Customs inspectors are trained to identify incomplete or damaged marks and may flag them for inspection.

How to avoid it: Inspect your pallets before loading. The IPPC mark should be clearly visible on at least two opposite sides of the pallet. If the stamp is damaged, do not use the pallet for export.

5. Using Non-IPPC Pallets from a Third Party

Some exporters arrange their own pallets through informal channels — purchasing from small local suppliers, reusing pallets, or using pallets provided by a freight forwarder who sources them cheaply. If these pallets are not produced by a registered IPPC manufacturer, they may not be compliant regardless of what any paperwork says.

How to avoid it: Always source from a verified NPQS-registered manufacturer. Ask for the manufacturer's IPPC registration number and check it against the NPQS register if in doubt.

The Cost of Getting It Wrong

A customs rejection can mean storage fees at the destination port while the issue is resolved, re-treatment costs at the destination (if available), the cost of returning goods to Sri Lanka if re-treatment is not possible, and delayed delivery that damages your relationship with the buyer.

These costs almost always exceed the price difference between a certified and uncertified pallet. The safest approach is to get it right the first time.

CeyPall Eliminates These Risks

Every pallet manufactured by CeyPall is produced under our NPQS-certified heat treatment programme, carries the official IPPC stamp, and is supplied with a treatment certificate. We have been manufacturing ISPM 15-compliant export pallets since 2005 and supply exporters across every sector in Sri Lanka.