Contact Military Traffic Management Command (MTMC) POV Processing
Center in Portsmouth to handle incoming POV shipments. The Portsmouth
Center is the centralized office for the entire Hampton Roads area for shipping
and receiving POVs. You may be able to track the whereabouts of your
vehicle by using the websites.This information is designed for military and
civilian personnel authorized to ship POVs at government expense (overseas only,
the Navy does not ship POV stateside). It is based on entitlements found in
Joint Federal Travel Regulations (JRTR), Volume I, for military members and
Joint Travel Regulations (JTR), Volume II, for civilian employees. In addition,
it contains information generally found in Department of Defense (DoD) 4500.34R,
Personal Property Traffic Management Regulation (PPTMR).
One POV owned by
you or your dependent may be shipped at government expense (overseas only). It
must, however, be for you or your dependent's personal use only. If you desire
to make your own arrangements and ship an additional POV, consult your
transportation office for any restrictions which may apply. You may be required
to pay an import duty on a second POV. The POV should be delivered to the port
prior to the departure of the person on whose orders the shipment is to be made.
This includes dependent travel authorizations when no POV has been previously
shipped on the sponsor's orders. A POV will also be accepted for shipment if
delivered to the CONUS port within 90 days after the sponsor or dependent has
departed for an overseas tour of duty in excess of one year. When delivery of
the POV to the port has been delayed beyond 90 days from the date of departure
of the member (or dependents) from CONUS, the POV may only be shipped upon
written approval from the overseas commander. Make sure your POV is in safe and
operable condition when it is turned in at the port. Failure to do so may be
cause for the terminal commander to refuse your POV for shipment.
Make
sure your POV meets any host nation emission control and safety standards. The
DoD POV Export Control Program (ECP) is an important program which has been
approved and authorized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in
conjunction with DoD to assist in protecting the catalyst systems on POVs being
shipped overseas to countries where unleaded gas is not available. This is done
by removing catalyst pellets, converters, and oxygen sensors and by using
fuel-line adapters or removing fuel filler pipe constricting devises.
All
DoD members, both military and civilian, on PCS orders to or from overseas
locations may participate in the ECP. Program participation is voluntary, since
all costs associated with the removal and refit of a catalyst system are paid by
you. The ECP is limited to 1976 and newer vehicles with catalytic converters.
You must acquire an EPA-waiver letter from your local transportation office
before the emission control components are removed. You will need copies of your
PCS orders and vehicle registration, and you must know the date you will turn
your POV into the port for shipment. Any emission control equipment which is
removed from your POV must be retained in the POV and not shipped or stored
separately. The EPA-waiver letter will allow you to have your emission control
components removed up to 10 working days (14 calendar days) prior to the turn-in
of the vehicle to the terminal for shipment.
Your POV may be exposed to
freezing temperatures during shipment or during storage at the destination
terminal. For this reason, you should safeguard the POV's cooling system with a
permanent type antifreeze solution. An antifreeze testing to minus 20 degrees
Fahrenheit (-20 F) or lower should be used.
You must ensure that your POV
contains no more than one-fourth tank of fuel when it is delivered to the
loading terminal. A POV with a diesel engine may be shipped with the fuel tank
three-quarters full.
All exterior surfaces, including the undercarriage,
must be clean and free of soil and other foreign matter before turn-in at the
terminal. You may also want to consider rust protection and undercoating prior
to shipment.
Discuss host nation requirements with your local
transportation office before departing your current duty station. You may be
able to do some of the modifications before you depart. Some may have to be done
overseas to prevent violations of U.S. emission or safety standards during your
trip to the port. Also, you should have a valid safety inspection sticker, if
one is required, from the state in which the POV is registered. If the state
requires an emission control inspection certification, make sure one is affixed
to the vehicle. You must ensure that only authorized personal articles remain in
your POV when it is turned in for processing. The value of tools and tool boxes
may not exceed the value prescribed by the JTR. AM/FM, citizen band, other
radios, tape decks, and other accessories not permanently mounted must be
removed before turning in the vehicle for shipment. Also, shipment in your POV
of any flammable or hazardous substance, including flares, waxes, oils,
solvents, and polishes is prohibited. Only the following items of personal
property may remain in the vehicle: items considered as normal vehicular tools,
such as jacks, tire irons, tire chains, tire inflater, first-aid kits, jumper
cables, warning triangle, and basic hand tools; one spare tire and two snow
tires (mounted or unmounted); cribs and children's car seats used for the
movement of children to or from the port; luggage racks; and small items, such
as thermos bottles, bottle warmers, and seat cushions, used for your comfort and
convenience during motor trips to the port.