17th November 2023
The Incident Bulletin is sent once a week, when there are major incidents to report affecting postal distribution.
This week’s bulletin contains information about Bermuda, Iceland, Congo, Italy, United Kingdom, Greece, Fiji, Uruguay, Serbia.
Bermuda
Report date: 7 November 2023
Incident: Back to normal
Bermuda Post Office wishes to inform that its services returned to normal, following the ransomware attack on the Bermuda Government’s IT systems, with effect from 31 October 2023.
Iceland
Report date: 7 November 2023
Incident: missing PREDES
While Iceland Post has not been able to find the issue for the missing PREDES messages the only missing messages are for part of the mail sent 9th of October to 11th of October.
Since no PRESDES are missing after 11th of October we consider the case closed. During this period there were around 200 receptacles with missing PREDES, but we have not been able to send the PREDES for these receptacles.
Congo
Report date: 7 November 2023
Incident: Back to normal following floods
Congo Poste informs that all international postal operations have now resumed as normal.
Italy
Report date: 7-15 November 2023
Incident: Storm and floods in Tuscany
Poste Italiane, informs that due to the climatic event affecting Tuscany region, since November 3rd, and it has not been possible to guarantee collection and delivery in some areas of the region. In particular, the provinces of Florence, Prato and Pistoia. The postcodes that have been affected are the following: 59025, 59011, 59015, 59013, 59016, 59021, 59024. 59026, 59025, 51035 and 51039.
By November, any disruption related to the flooding and services have been restored.
United Kingdom
Report date: 13 November 2023
Incident: Disruption of electronic data transmissions for inbound and outbound dispatches and consignments
The designated operator of the United Kingdom, Royal Mail, wishes to inform other countries and their designated operators that it has been experiencing disruption with electronic data transmissions for inbound and outbound receptacles and consignments since 14 October 2023.
As a result, Royal Mail has been unable to send the following UPU EDI messages at the international mail processing centres (IMPC) shown below:
−M13 (RESDES (confirmation of dispatch receipt – response to PREDES, dispatch pre-advice)) and M12 (RESCON (confirmation of consignment receipt – response to PRECON consignment pre-advice)) for letter-post dispatches arriving at the Langley HWDC IMPC (code GBLALA);
−M10 (PRECON (pre-advice of consignment)) for letter-post dispatches from the Langley HWDC IMPC (code GBLALA).
All other electronic data interchanges for item-level tracking events (M40, EMSEVT V3, M41 PREDES 2.1 (pre-advice of dispatch prepared) and M33, ITMATT V1 (item attributes)) messages are flowing as normal.
Also from around 14 October 2023, Royal Mail’s “Business Interface Gateway” stopped processing PRECON, RESDES and RESCON messages. Royal Mail’s IT suppliers have confirmed that the issue is now resolved, and live data is again flowing as normal. Royal Mail is now working to release old messages stuck in this gateway, and it expects the backlog of messages to be cleared by Saturday, 11 November.
Greece
Report date: 13 November 2023
Incident: IT issues (IPS)
Since the beginning of November 2023, due to issues in IPS system, Hellenic Post ELTA hasn’t been able to send any A’ Priority Mail dispatches (UN) destinated to AU, CH & IT. The matter is being investigated by our IT department and we hope to be solved the soonest.
Iceland
Report date: 13 November 2023
Incident: State of emergency in the Reykjanes peninsula, Grindavik
The Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management in Iceland has declared a state of emergency after a series of earthquakes in the Reykjanes peninsula. There is believed to be a risk of a volcanic activity in or around the town of Grindavik and authorities have ordered the evacuation of the town which is expected to last for a minimum of two weeks.
During this time Iceland Post will not be able to deliver mail in Grindavik (post codes 240-241). Registered items will be forwarded as possible to temporary addresses of residents.
Fiji
Report date: 13 November 2023
Incident: Tropical cyclone
Post Fiji Ltd, informs that all of its outlets were be closed, 14 November 2023, owing to the tropical cyclone warning in effect. The tropical cyclone is predicted to affect the country from today. The situation will be reassessed by 16.00 local time on 14 November.
Disruptions are expected for the processing and conveyance of all mail, thus affecting quality of service for all inbound and outbound air services (letter post, parcel post and EMS.
Uruguay
Report date: 14 November 2023
Incident: International Postal System (IPS) migration
Correo Uruguayo, informs that it will be a migrating from IPS 2015 to IPS 2022 from 14 to 17 November 2023. Correo Uruguayo will make every effort to minimize the impact of the migration on the processing of international mail and related operations, but delays in data transmission may nevertheless occur during the aforementioned period.
Serbia
Report date: 15 November 2023
Incident: Disruptions in postal operations
Public Enterprise Post of Serbia, informs that it has been experiencing disruptions in its postal operations since 24 October 2023, as a result of the unlawful suspension of work by a number of employees. This situation is impeding the generation of electronic data for inbound and outbound receptacles and consignments, and is resulting in delays in the processing and delivery of items.
