Amazon Fulfilment Carrier Central User Manual

Amazon Fulfilment Carrier Central User Manual

Introduction

The goal of this document is to keep vendors and carriers up-to-date on appointment scheduling and delivery processes for freight/parcel delivery to an Australian Amazon Fulfilment Centre (FC). This document is scoped only for pre-paid freight and does not include Amazon-contracted shipping scenarios such as outbound or inbound collect freight. Please feel free to share this document within your company. Compliance throughout the entire appointment-to- delivery process is very important in reducing delays and improving your overall experience.

Safety at Amazon

The safety of everyone at Amazon is our Number One priority. This not only pertains to Amazon employees but contractors and visitors as well.
Our Culture of Safety drives all of our decisions and processes. Changes in the process are reviewed by our Workplace Health and Safety teams with thorough Risk Assessments completed, in particular for any process that involves human and machine interaction.
Whilst some of our processes may differ to your business practices, understand that each process and procedure is established practice World-Wide at Amazon with a
“Safety First” mindset.

Please note that for all inbound loads, each site will assess the safety and suitability for unloading in a safe and secure manner and make a final decision. In the event that they decide to reject a trailer, they will provide the reason for rejection to the driver and also log the rejection reason via an internal I.T. System for record-keeping purposes. NOC will notify the carrier dispatch team of the rejection reason.

Amazon’s Australian Fulfilment Centre Network

Amazon has multiple Australian Fulfilment Centres (FCs). Each building is named with a 4-character code:

While our hours of operation will likely change over time, we currently receive freight during the following times.

The following sites can receive deliveries outside of normal business hours.

Delivery Day Loading Standard

Delivery – The ISA IDs must be given to the guard shack to enter the yard. All vehicles will be denied access at the FC security gate without an ISA with the exception of SPD’s (see below).

• Please ensure that the driver backs into the dock door specified by the guard shack. Drivers must follow all instructions from Guard Shack and FC Staff. This includes waiting in specified areas and not wandering around the yard. Drivers must wear a Hi-Viz vest and enclosed safety shoes.

• Good Driver behaviour is paramount. Anyone who is Disrespectful or Abusive will be escorted off site.

• If the actual number of pallets in the shipment differs from what is in the appointment, the shipment may be rejected.

• All ISA Bookings must arrive on pallets. If 15 parcels or less, please deliver via the SPD process
  EXCEPTION: Some Direct Import containers may be delivered as Floor Load subject to approval and prior arrangement with site Operations Leadership at BNE1, BWU2, MEL1 and MEL5 (see below)

• A copy of the BOL, Delivery Docket or POD must be sighted by the FC – this can be hard copy or via an electronic device. This must include Pallet and Unit quantities

• Pallets delivered in vans or on utilities are acceptable and are subject to the following conditions:

  • There should be a minimum of 30cm clearance at top of door for pallet egress
  • There should be sufficient sideways clearance for pallet to be removed – barn doors are preferable

Small Parcel Deliveries (SPD’s)

• Please refer to the following Vehicle Matrix to see what vehicle types are accepted at each site
• Deliveries for SPDs (15 loose parcels or less) are accepted without an ISA
• Parcel size for SPD’s is restricted to 63.5cm63.5cm63.5cm.
• Drivers must follow all instructions from Guard Shack and FC staff

Please refer to the Vehicle Matrix below for allowable vehicles per FC

VEHICLE TYPE| BNE1| BWU1| BWU2| MEL1| MEL5| PER3
---|---|---|---|---|---|---
Moped or Motorbike| No| No| No| No| No| No
Sedan| Yes| Yes| No| Yes| No| Yes
Wagon| Yes| Yes| No| Yes| No| Yes
SUV| Yes| Yes| No| Yes| No| Yes
People Mover| Yes| Yes| No| Yes| No| Yes
Van| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes
Utility – Tub or tray| Yes| Yes| No| Yes| Yes| Yes
Truck – Open tray| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes
Truck – Enclosed or Tray| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes| Yes

Pallet Loading

Amazon FCs will accept wooden pallets of standard sizes. Cardboard and particle board, or ‘skid’ pallets are not acceptable. Refer to pallet standards section for more information

Domestic Transport

• Australian Standard pallets (1165mm x 1165mm) are preferred. All pallet types are accepted (not skids). See page 8 for definitions and examples.
• Ensure product is shrink-wrapped to the pallet to ensure the load is stable and secure, and to prevent items from falling off. (It is acceptable for large items to be strapped to pallets)
• Recommended Maximum Weight for pallets is 1000kg. Any pallet in excess of 1000kg will be subject to an assessment by each individual FC as to whether or not it can be safely unloaded, depending on their equipment capability.
• The maximum height is 1.8m including the pallet base (EXCEPTION: 1.6m at BWU1 and MEL5 due to physical limitations) Shipments will be rejected as unsafe if they are above the maximum height.
• Shipments will be rejected as unsafe if they are above the maximum height. Do not ship products in Shuttle Containers (pallet-sized cartons).
• Do not ship products in Shuttle Containers (pallet-sized cartons).
• Cartons may not overhang the pallet on any side.
• The below table refers to acceptable ISO Standard pallet sizes as used Internationally

Double-Stacked Pallets

Whilst Double Stacking can increase trailer utilisation, it can also create additional safety issues. All sites (except PER3) accept Double Stacked Pallets via Side-Unload Trucks
Examples of poor double stacking (See Appendix 2) include:

• Different height pallets alongside each other which led to the pallet being unloaded hitting the next pallet and dislodging it
• Loose parcels on top of the second layer, not visible to the forklift operator and falling to the ground
• Pallets being too close to each other / too tightly packed causing the pallet alongside the one being unloaded to be dislodged
• Product not being shrink-wrapped to the pallet itself, causing the product to fall to ground when the pallet was moved

Some basic guidelines to loading double stacked pallets include;

• Ensuring pallets are not shrink wrapped together
• Keeping pallets on the base level all at an even height for stability
• Loading pallets so that the risk of dislodging another pallet is minimised e.g. spacing
• Ensuring there is forklift access to each pallet
• Make sure the product is wrapped to the pallet for security whilst being moved

Rear Unload Trailers can be double stacked for MEL1 and BWU2 with more FCs to come online shortly. Some additional requirements exist for rear unload trailers:

• Ensure the bottom layer of pallets are flat for stability
• A minimum of 300mm remains at the top of the trailer or container to allow enough room for the forklift to safely remove pallets.
• Pantech Trailers are preferred. If a Tautliner is used, ensure that all pallets are correctly secured per COR
• The trailers are suitable for a Forklift to access, with floors in good condition (no rust, holes etc.)

BNE1, BWU2, MEL1 & MEL5 can accept floor fluid-loaded (non-palletized) containers. The container is required to be left for a minimum of 24 hours to allow for unload. Currently, we do not support live unloading of floor-loaded containers.
Note: MEL5 requires the container to be unloaded via crane truck Maximum Package Dimensions for Floor Loading:

• Length: 914mm
• Width: 736mm
• Height: 558mm
• Weight: 22.68kg

What is the difference between a Pallet and a Skid?

• The main distinguishing features are the deck boards. A Pallet will have both Top and Bottom deck boards, attached to either a stringer (a board running the length of the pallet) or feet. There can be as few as 3 bottom deck boards.
• A Skid does not have any bottom deck boards.
• The bottom deck boards add strength and stability to the pallet, making it easier and safer to move with a fork lift.
• Damaged pallets are not acceptable

Refer to Appendix 1 for more information on Pallet Standards

Truck Types

• Rear unload truck’s height must be at a minimum 1100mm and at a maximum 1550mm (from ground to bottom of truck bed).
  • For rear unloads that are too high or too low for the rear docks the pallets must be accessible by a forklift.
  • Drivers are NOT allowed to move pallets on their truck. Pallets must be ready to be unloaded upon arrival.
• We do NOT allow hydraulic tailgate trucks to unload pallets.
• B-Doubles are NOT ALLOWED
• Refrigerated or Reefer trailers are not allowed

Delivery Types by FC

• Not shrink-wrapped together
• MEL5 Fluid Container must be lifted via Truck Crane onto the dock

Pallet Pooling

Amazon does not guarantee pallet returns or perform pallet exchanges. We accept AU standard wooden pallets for domestic shipments and ISO standard wooden pallets for import shipments. We have CHEP and LOSCAM accounts that you can transfer pallets to per your agreement with those companies (effective date for transfers is 30 Days from date of delivery) but the entire process is hands-off for Amazon. We do not confirm any pallet transfers via e-mail/phone/etc. or exchange pallets onsite. If you send us non-pooled wooden pallets, we will accept the freight, but will not return the pallets.

bne1-dockets@amazon.com
BWU1, VANA, VANB| 4000367411| 211170| bwu1-dockets@amazon.com
BWU2| 4000581583| 216789| bwu2-dockets@amazon.com
XAU2| 4000581583| 216789| bwu2-dockets@amazon.com
MEL1| 4000345145| 323303| mel1-dockets@amazon.com
MEL5| 4000567736| 321414| mel5-dockets@amazon.com
PER3| 4000570625| 630616| per3-dockets@amazon.com

If using a pooled pallet supplier, we require all suppliers to apply the equipment management best practices below:

• Raise all transfers electronically in myCHEP or Loscam Online
• A transfer docket must be provided to us per load. If a docket is not provided upon arrival, we will reject the load. A POD with a pallet count on it is insufficient for this purpose
• The movement date and effective date should be the day it arrives at the Amazon Fulfilment Centre (global rules will apply the transfer rule)
• Please ensure that the Amazon Purchase Order Number is quoted as the primary reference
• Any discrepancies must be raised with the pooled supplier within 3 months of delivery. This is based on the timeframes given by CHEP and Loscam. If disputes are not noticed until after 3 months, then Amazon is unable to help request a correction or reversal of transactions with pooled pallet suppliers. Ensure your internal processes allow sufficient time to raise any issues

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the largest truck Amazon can accept?

   • We can accept trucks sizes up to and including 24-pallet capacity Semi-Trailers.
   • An appointment request is only for a single truck, delivering to a single FC. If you are sending two trucks to the same FC, you will need to submit two appointment requests.

2. How should I communicate the delivery window on time compliance with the shipper?

   • Please communicate to your shipper (the Amazon vendor) when/if you are unable to deliver the shipment within the delivery windows on their POs. Amazon gives vendors ample time to prepare and deliver their products and does not intervene in vendor/carrier negotiations.

3. My company can only deliver packages to the FC at certain times. Can you please schedule my freight at certain times?

   • We receive freight from a diverse network of carriers and vendors and cannot honor requests for deliveries at specific times. We may schedule an appointment at any time during our receiving hours mentioned in section 2 of Amazon Australia’s Fulfillment Centre.

4. Can I book several POs on the same shipment?
   Yes, you can book several POs on the same appointment, even if they are from different vendors. All freight on a given truck should be listed in BOL/PRO list and PO list, otherwise it might cause receiving issues and PQV risk.

5. Can I deliver freight from several appointments at the same time?
   If you have several appointments scheduled at different times throughout the day, you may not deliver them all at the same time. If you would like to deliver multiple shipments consolidated into a single truck at the same time, you must have all PROs/POs for the shipments on a single confirmed appointment.

6. What if I cannot make an appointment because I do not have a valid PO for a single shipper’s delivery?
   Attempt to auto-populate the PO by only entering the delivery’s “BOL” or “PRO” only and clicking ‘Auto Populate’. If a carrier is unable to auto- populate then they can manually enter the POs according to the paperwork provided by the shipper or from the carton/pallet label. Please contact the shipper for the correct information if the above does not resolve the issue.

Contact Information

If Carriers/Vendors/Sellers still need support after go through this Q&A, please contact noc-au-ibsked@amazon.com.au for appointment-related queries or 1800-573-337 for Carrier Central account issues.

IMPORTANT: If you are unable to keep a scheduled appointment you MUST call 1800 573 337 (8:30am to 8:30pm AEST) or email noc-au- ibsked@amazon.com.au

Appendix 1 – Pallet Standards

Acceptable Pallets – pallets must be in good condition with no visible damage.

Unacceptable Pallets includes broken pallets, as well as plastic

Unacceptable Skids (No bottom deck boards) examples below

1. Poorly Built
2. Product not wrapped to pallet
3. Broken Pallet – Note the placement of this broken pallet on top of another pallet DOES NOT rectify the issue. The product should be re-palletized and wrapped to the new pallet.

Appendix 2 – Load Standards

1. Double Stack without the required 300mm clearance at the top of the truck, Product not wrapped to the pallet (bottom pallet) and Fallen product next to pallets which risk being damaged when pallets are removed
2. Double Stacked pallets that are wrapped together
3. Example of pallets being too close together, with one pallet being damaged whilst loading. The product dislodged and was no longer wrapped to the pallet.
4. Packages not wrapped to pallets, loose packages on top of pallets

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