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Finnlines launch new freight service to & from Sheerness

 

Starting in September, Finnlines will launch a new freight service from Finland to London Medway (Sheerness), with further connections available to Belgium, Spain, and Ireland. The new connection will provide customers with shorter transit times and increased cargo capacity. Customers can access the entire Finnlines and the Grimaldi Group network via Zeebrügge and Antwerp, which provides expanded business opportunities.

The service will be operated by three Finneco-class hybrid ro-ro vessels, each with a cargo capacity of 5,800 lane metres, equivalent to around 400 trailers. The innovative vessel layout enables faster and more efficient loading and unloading operations besides enhanced flexibility to load any type of cargo, long, heavy up to a height of 7 metres.

Key highlights:

  • New freight service from Sheerness: Launching in September, this new connection will complement Finnlines’ route network and provide customers with shorter transit times, increased cargo capacity and loading capabilities.

  • Sustainable alternative: a new hybrid ro-ro vessel with a cargo capacity of 5,800 lane metres provides lower CO2 emissions per transported cargo unit.

  • Frequency: 1/7.

  • Southbound route: Helsinki / Kotka–Sheerness–Antwerp / Zeebrügge–Bilbao / Vigo.

  • Northbound route: Bilbao / Vigo–Zeebrügge / Antwerp–Hanko–Helsinki / Kotka.

Kleerfreight can provide both import and export customs formalities for these routes, please use the contact page to reach out to us.

information source and images courtesy of finnlines.com

Requests for training and consultancy increases

Requests from existing customers and troubled importers regarding 'Knowing a bit more' or 'Understanding what we should be doing' are on the rise.

Kleerfreight have been providing customers with basic knowledge for many years but just recently the requests for site visits for help, one to one training, classification assistance, customer work flow analysis has increased dramatically.

If you fall  into one of these categories we can help, from an initial overview of your operation we can provide you with understanding about your current processes, where we think you can benefit from improvement both as a business and in good working practise from a compliance standpoint.

There may also be other regimes or preferential trade that you are able to benefit from or that you need to check.

For more information visit our consultancy page today.

IPAFFS - April 2024 - Act Now

Importers and import agents must use IPAFFS to notify authorities in Great Britain before the following goods arrive from EU and non-EU countries:

  • live animals

  • germinal products

  • animal by-products (ABP)

  • high-risk food and feed not of animal origin (HRFNAO)

  • products of animal origin (POAO)

  • composite food products

  • medium and high risk plants and plant products

 

Kleerfreight have been using IPAFFS for some time now and are well versed in what needs to be done and when, the first step for you as an importer is to register for the system via the Government Gateway and then add Kleerfreight as a partner, then sit back and let us do the rest.

It is important to ensure you know for what and when you need to need to notify the authorities here in the UK, more information can be found using the links below to the official guidance.

 

Older news....

CDS made easy at Kleerfreight.

Whoever you spoke to before the switch off date for HMRC's CHIEF system sold you a story of doom and gloom, the country is not ready, we would all starve... the end of the world was nigh however in our normal 'grabbing the bull by the horns' fashion our team have taken to the new CDS system like ducks to water!

So what's changed?

The new system is full of new codes, additional information and if your current clearing agent have not been in touch to ask you for more information then they are not handling your documentation correctly.

If you are unsure and want to check then please get in touch and we can look into how your goods are being handled and ensure that you are compliant.

Another thing we hear regularly is 'Oh yes the transport company do that for us we don't have to do anything'  - Not true!

Just because they are not asking you for the info or asking you to double check does not mean it is being done correctly and ultimately the Direct Customs Agent or POA letter you signed states they are working on your behalf and you understand you are liable for any errors, the easy way is not always the best and ignorance is not an excuse with HMRC.

Do not wait for an inspection to find out if your documents are being processed correctly, get in touch with our team today to understand more.

Brexit - What's new?

Well nothing much has changed since we left the EU and the initial upheaval with regards to updating or introducing new regulations, the majority of Importers and Exporters have now found their groove and are trading as they were pre-Brexit.

Obviously some commodities are more involved than other and these importers are still unfortunately finding their feet, We are proud to say that we have been instrumental in helping hundreds if not thousands of such UK companies keep their goods moving which we are extremely proud of.

Our helpful and experienced team are here to give you the service you may been searching for, get it touch with us today via our 'Speak with us' page

finnlines sheerness customs agent.JPG
union jack brexit customs clearance broker

GVMS - Goods Vehicle Movement Service

The GVMS system is now live and despite some teething troubles the system appears to be working well.

What is GVMS?

Good Vehicle Movement Service - If you're a haulier and move goods through a port in the UK that uses the goods vehicle movement service you'll need to register for the service to get your goods through customs, if you do not wish to register or are not a frequent user then we are able to perform these notifications for you.

Your vehicle and trip/cargo details are entered on to the GVMS system and a GMR (Goods MOvement Reference) is generated, the Ferry / Tunnel operator will need this nu,ber or you will not be able to board the vessel / train otherwise.

If you’re a trader

If you’re a trader sending goods, you must:

  1. Check if the port where the goods are arriving is using the goods vehicle movement service because you need to pre-lodge declarations.

  2. Before the goods arrive at the departure port you must give the haulier your movement reference numbers from any safety and security declarations, import or export declarations, TIR and ATA Carnet numbers.
    Alternatively you must give your EORI number if you’re approved to make an entry in your own records and declaring goods in this way.

  3. If your goods are travelling under the Common Transit Convention, you must give the haulier all relevant Transit Accompanying Documents, as well as the movement reference numbers for any safety and security declarations.
    A single vehicle may be carrying more than one transit movement. You must give the haulier a Transit Accompanying Document for each movement and a movement reference number for each safety and security declaration.

If you’re a haulier

If your business has been hired by someone to move goods, you must:

  1. Check if the ports where the goods are moving from and to are using the goods vehicle movement service.

  2. Register for the goods vehicle movement service if you’re a haulier.

  3. Get a goods movement reference — you must enter references for all the goods contained in the vehicle, trailer or container.

  4. You must follow instructions about whether you need to get your goods checked by customs on arrival or if you’re able to continue your journey.

For imports from 1 January 2022

You should use your goods movement reference number in the ‘check if you need to report for an inspection’ service to understand if your goods are held. If you’re arriving into the Port of Dover or Eurotunnel, you’ll need to attend an Inland Border Facility to have these checks carried out.

For all other goods vehicle movement service locations, you must proceed to the inspection facility within or near the port if your goods are held.

In some cases you may also be stopped by Border Force officers within the port to have checks performed on your vehicle or load.

If this happens, you must still attend an inland border facility to complete customs functions if you have been instructed to do so.

The goods must be taken to an inland border facility directly and the goods must be in the same condition as they were at the time of importation.

You may be liable to a penalty of up to £2,500 if you fail to follow HMRC instructions.

 

GVMS Errors - Common Errors and help - Multilingual

 

Since the UK implemented additional controls on the 1st January 2022 as part of its phased withdrawal from the EU, HMRC have monitored compliance with the GVMS system.   The new procedures are complex and are dependent on all parties performing their task correctly, sending and monitoring messages and involving some operators such as hauliers in Customs activities for the first time in decades. Complexity and unfamiliarity have contributed to some of the issues encountered.

HMRC recently sent an email to some 13,000 EU based hauliers with advice on how to resolve common errors when using GVMS.

Copies of the email content are available to download by clicking the language required below:

UK Government helplines

The majority of your questions and enquiries can be answered by visiting  gov.uk/transition or you can use the following helpline numbers:

HMRC

  • Customs & International Trade Helpline - 0300 322 9434.

    • Opening hours here.

  • VAT / Imports and Exports General Enquiries - 0300 200 3700.

    • Opening hours here.

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA)

  • Vehicle operator licensing enquiries - 0300 123 9000.

    • Opening hours here.

  • International Road Haulage Permits - 0330 678 1117.

    • Opening hours here

Animal, Plant and Health Agency (APHA)

  • Helpline/Enquiries - 0300 1000 313.

    • Further details here.

Since the 1980's our staff have handled Customs clearance in almost every form.

The new Brexit Customs situation may appear daunting for some but for us, its very simple as this is our job and we have been prepared for it two years prior to it coming into force.

If you are moving goods by truck or van via ferry ports and you need Customs clearance at Dover or any ferry port in the UK. We can help with Customs clearance no matter where or what.

We are absolute experts and can help, whether you have a one off shipment or hundreds and are listed on the HMRC comprehensive list 'customs agents and fast parcel operators'.

Our services are used not only by importers but also by other Customs Clearance agents and Customs Brokers who claim to be linked to all locations and handle everything for you.

 

If you require Customs clearance at ferry ports, please contact us and we'll be happy to help provide you with our Customs paperwork service for your goods travelling to and from Europe.

We are a small family company with humans you can speak to, please get in touch.

 

Our links enable us to provide the following cover:

 

Customs Clearance in Sheerness / Customs Clearance in Felixstowe / Customs clearance in Tilbury

Customs Clearance in Purfleet / Customs Clearance in London / Customs Clearance in Dartford

Customs Clearance in Rochester / Customs Clearance in Dover / Customs clearance at Channel Tunnel

Custom Clearance in Newhaven / Customs Clearance in Southampton / Customs Clearance in Poole

Customs Clearance in Portsmouth / Customs Clearance in Bristol / Customs Clearance in Pembroke

Custom Clearance in Liverpool / Customs Clearance in Grangemouth 

Customs Clearance in Immingham / Customs Clearance in Killingholme 

Customs Clearance in Teesport / Customs Clearance in Ipswich / Customs Clearance in Harwich

Customs Clearance in Hull

We can cover both inventory and non-inventory clearances - not sure what that means then get in touch to be sure and make certain you do the job once and correctly.

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