How to Mitigate Delays Through UK Ports with an ETSF (External Temporary Storage Facility)
The significant increase in customs checks and declarations through UK ports for roll-on roll-off (RoRo) traffic will create delays in goods being released by UK Customs. This will impact anyone involved in just-in-time delivery of goods such as fresh produce, fast parcel deliveries, parts for manufacturing and service, medicines and large groupage loads.
ETSF's will mitigate delays
Many companies are now looking at setting up their own External Temporary Storage Facility (ETSF) to mitigate potential delays through UK customs. ETSF’s are often located further inland away from the port or frontier. RoRo (Roll-on Roll-off) traffic can exit the port quickly and the customs declarations can be conducted at the ETSF avoiding unnecessary delays.
It can take several months to set up an ETSF so now is the time to act.
Descartes Pentant is an approved Community Service Provider (CSP) with an accredited interface to HMRC’s new Customs Declaration Service (CDS) for customs declarations, as well as the previous CHIEF system.
Descartes Pentant will speed up the process of getting your ETSF approved by HMRC by providing an already approved inventory system.
The Descartes Pentant ETSF solution has been specifically designed for road transport operations into inland temporary storage facilities anywhere in the UK.
The HMRC and Border Force approved Pentant CSP Inventory system delivers control and compliance to your ETSF. By moving your customs clearances away from the congested border to your inland premises, under the same controls, rules and regulations, it brings all operations in-house rather than at remote port clearance sites. Based on Pentant’s many years of experience, with inventory-linked Ro-Ro movements through the Port of Dover and the Channel Tunnel, the solution provides the same level of detail and granulation required at a truck level for the clearance of goods, but at your own site.
GVMS - Goods Vehicle Movement Service
The Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS) is a new system being implemented by HMRC to facilitate the movement of goods through UK ports by companies that do not wish to operate a Temporary Storage facility.
The GVMS will also be used to automate the Office of Transit formalities under the Common Transit Convention for movements using NCTS when goods enter the Customs Territory of the UK.
Initially this will apply from 1st January to:
- Movements between Great Britain and Northern Ireland
- Limited movements between Northern Ireland and Great Britain where an export declaration is required.
- Transit Movements between the EU and UK.
But will be extended from 1st January 2022 to also include:
- Imports from the EU
- Exports to the EU
Use of the GVMS will be dictated by the port of entry other than for Transit where GVMS can be used for all ports. It will require any customs declarations to be pre-lodged and associated with a Goods Vehicle Movement record before the vehicle is allowed to board the ferry.
The Goods Vehicle Movement record will need to contain details of the vehicle, the goods being transported, as well as the details of the Customs declaration which can be either:
- CDS Movement Reference Number (MRN)
- Transit MRN
- EORI for traders using Entry in the Declarants Records (EIDR)
Additionally the GVMS will also need to include the MRN of any Safety & Security declarations (EU ICS for goods moving to Northern Ireland and GB Safety & Security from 1st January 2022 for goods moving from the EU).
The process is currently as below although we are still waiting for detailed specifications:
- Import, Transit or EIDR created
- GVMS record created
- Records associated to GVMS record
- GVMS vehicle details finalised
- Vehicle moves to port
- Port operator validates GVMS Goods Movements Reference (GMR)
- If valid, vehicle will be allowed to board the vessel
- On departure ferry Co will send notification to HMRC that the GMR has left, allowing HMRC to process the declarations prior to arrival
Bonded Warehousing / Customs Warehouse
e-Customs has a module to manage both bonded and free circulation stock, allowing traders and warehouse operators to efficiently manage their customs warehouse and fulfil their compliance and reporting obligations with Customs today and post the Brexit transition period.
With Descartes you can:
- Create stock independently or from an import declaration.
- Create import declarations or appropriate periodic reports based on outbound orders / removals.
- Use smart picking to ensure the most duty efficient stock is picked.
- Handle stock amendments and adjustments.
- Integrate with ERP / Commercial Systems or manual.
Customs Warehousing functionality is available in multiple countries.
In the UK we also offer a standard Excise Warehousing solution to:
- Create stock independently or from an Import or EMCS movement.
- Link from EMCS receipt to existing stock or create stock.
- Create EMCS movements from Excise removals.
- Create and Submit W1, W5 returns and submit via ATWD.
- Integrate with ERP / Commercial Systems or manual.