ISPM 15 Export Packing Explained: The UK Exporter's Complete Guide

If you're shipping goods from the UK to the UAE or anywhere overseas and your shipment uses wooden packaging, you need to understand ISPM 15. Get it wrong and your goods can be held at port, fumigated at your cost, or sent back entirely.

This guide covers everything you need to know.

What Is ISPM 15?

ISPM 15 stands for International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15. It is an international regulation that governs the treatment of wooden packaging materials used in international trade.

The purpose is simple: to prevent the spread of invasive insects, pests, and plant diseases that can live inside raw timber things like bark beetles, pine wood nematode, and Asian longhorn beetles from crossing international borders inside wooden crates, pallets, and dunnage.

It was developed by the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and has been adopted by over 180 countries worldwide, including the United Arab Emirates.

What Does ISPM 15 Apply To?

ISPM 15 applies to any wood packaging material (WPM) used to support, protect, or carry goods in international shipments. This includes:

• Wooden crates and boxes
• Pallets and skids
• Dunnage (wood used to brace cargo inside containers)
• Wooden reels and drums
• Pallet collars

It does not apply to processed wood products such as plywood, particleboard, oriented strand board (OSB), or veneer because these manufacturing processes eliminate the risk of live pests.

What Treatment Is Required?

Under ISPM 15, all wood packaging materials must be treated using one of the following approved methods before export:

Heat Treatment (HT)

The most common method used in the UK. The wood must be heated to a core temperature of 56°C for a minimum of 30 continuous minutes. This kills any live insects or larvae present in the timber.

Dielectric Heating (DH)

A newer approved method using microwave or radio frequency heating to achieve the same core temperature requirements as heat treatment. Less commonly used but recognised under the standard.

Methyl Bromide Fumigation (MB)

Previously the most common treatment method globally. However, methyl bromide is being phased out under the Montreal Protocol due to its environmental impact. It is still used in some countries but is no longer accepted by many importing nations including the EU.

For shipments to the UAE: Heat treatment (HT) is the recommended and most widely accepted method. Ensure your packing provider uses ISPM 15 certified heat-treated timber only.

The ISPM 15 Mark

Treated wood packaging must carry the official IPPC mark this is the stamp that customs authorities look for at the port of entry. Without it, your shipment will not clear customs.

The mark must include:

• The IPPC wheat sheaf symbol the internationally recognised logo
• Country code for UK-origin packaging, this is GB
• Producer/treatment provider code a unique number identifying the certified treatment provider
• Treatment method abbreviation HT for heat treatment, DH for dielectric heating

The mark must be clearly legible, permanently applied, and placed on at least two opposite sides of the packaging. It cannot be on a sticker that could be removed it must be branded or stamped directly onto the wood.

What Happens If Your Packaging Is Not Compliant?

Non-compliant wood packaging discovered at the UAE port of entry (Jebel Ali) can result in:

• Detention of the shipment while treatment is arranged at your cost and your timeline
• On-arrival fumigation — the UAE authorities can fumigate the packaging themselves and bill the importer
• Refusal of entry goods sent back to the UK at the exporter's expense
• Destruction of the packaging if the risk is deemed too high

Any of these outcomes means delays, additional costs, and potential damage to your relationship with the end client. It is not a risk worth taking.

How CORDA Handles ISPM 15 Compliance

Every shipment we handle at CORDA International is packed using ISPM 15 certified heat-treated timber, sourced from our UK packing facility. Every crate is stamped with the full IPPC mark before it leaves our facility.

We build custom wooden export crates around your goods not the other way around. The timber is treated, the mark is applied, and the documentation confirms compliance as part of the full export paperwork we provide with every shipment.

If you're shipping goods from the UK to Dubai and you want the assurance that your packaging will clear UAE customs without issue, that is exactly what we provide.

Common ISPM 15 Mistakes UK Exporters Make

• Using untreated timber from a builder's merchant. Standard construction timber is not ISPM 15 treated. It may look identical but it will fail inspection.
• Reusing old wooden pallets without verifying their status. Even if a pallet was originally compliant, reusing it without re treatment or verification is a risk.
• Assuming a freight forwarder handles compliance. Most freight forwarders arrange shipping they do not arrange or verify the treatment status of your wood packaging. That responsibility sits with the exporter.
• Mark placed incorrectly or on a sticker. If the IPPC mark is applied to a label that can be peeled off, or placed in a location inspectors cannot easily see, it may be treated as non compliant.
• Using methyl bromide treated packaging for UAE shipments. Always confirm the treatment method is accepted by the destination country.

Quick Reference: ISPM 15 Checklist for UK Exporters

Before your shipment leaves, verify the following:

• All wooden packaging is made from ISPM 15 certified heat treated timber
• The IPPC mark is present on at least two opposite sides of each piece
• The mark includes the wheat sheaf symbol, GB country code, producer code, and HT designation
• The mark is permanently stamped or branded not on a removable sticker
• Your export documentation references ISPM 15 compliance
• Your freight forwarder has been informed that packaging is compliant

Need Help Getting It Right?

CORDA International manages the full export chain from UK supplier to Dubai site including ISPM 15 compliant custom export crating on every shipment.

If you're unsure whether your current packing arrangements meet UAE requirements, get in touch. We're happy to advise even if you're not yet ready to ship.