Wood packaging import rules: Kuwait

ISPM 15 on imports

Not confirmed

Enforced since

—

Treatments

HT, MB (per ISPM 15; national acceptance not confirmed)

Plant protection authority

Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR)

Common pallet sizes

1200 × 1000 mm
1200 × 800 mm (EUR)

Main ports

Shuwaikh, Shuaiba, Mina Abdullah, Mubarak Al Kabeer (Bubiyan)

Overview

Kuwait is a party to the IPPC and gives plant quarantine duties for imports to the Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources. I found no reachable legal text requiring ISPM 15 marking on imported wood packaging, and Kuwait is not on the New Zealand MPI or USDA APHIS lists, so the status is shown as unclear and no start year is entered. Marine imports pass through Shuwaikh, the main container port in Kuwait City, as well as Shuaiba, which handles bulk and some containers, and Mina Abdullah, with the long-planned Mubarak Al Kabeer port on Bubiyan Island still being built, a project tied to regional corridors toward Iraq. Land imports arrive at Nuwaiseeb from Saudi Arabia and Abdali from Iraq. The oil and gas sector dominates the economy, and its project cargo, including pipes, valves and crated machinery, is generally packed by foreign suppliers in heat-treated, stamped wood, which is why most pallets reaching the country carry the mark regardless of the national rule. Retail and food distribution use 1200 × 1000 mm pallets heavily, with 1200 × 800 mm EUR pallets in European-sourced goods and plastic pallets in some chains. Kuwait has limited domestic pallet making, and no national pooling operator has been verified. Customs and quarantine procedures can change, so confirm with the importer before shipment.

Key points

• Not listed on NZ MPI or USDA APHIS ISPM 15 tables
• Shuwaikh handles most containers; Mubarak Al Kabeer port is under development
• Oil-sector project cargo is frequent
• Land imports via Saudi Arabia (Nuwaiseeb) and Iraq (Abdali)

Frequently asked questions

Sources

1. New Zealand MPI – ISPM 15 requirements by country
2. USDA APHIS – Countries requiring ISPM 15 wood packaging
3. IPPC country page – Kuwait

Import rules change. Confirm current requirements with the national plant protection organization or your importer before shipping. This page is general information, not legal advice.