ChannelPorts, a Customs Clearance Agent supporting businesses to import and export goods in and out of the UK and European Union, today announced the launch of its digital customs clearance platform – CustomsPro.
Founded in 1974, this move sees ChannelPorts combine nearly 50 years of customs knowledge with an intuitive, API-led digital platform, replacing traditionally manual methods of data entry and enabling customs declarations to be cleared in 12 minutes, down from as much as 12 hours. CustomsPro provides live data to SMEs, hauliers and forwarders on the clearance status of their shipments, automatic notification of clearance, and a complete history and record of shipments to comply with HMRC regulations.
Since its launch earlier this year, the new system is helping its customers to regain confidence and compliance with customs regulations. New sign-ups include the likes of Gü Desserts and Gondrand, a leading international forwarding and logistics provider.
Tom Sommer, Director at ChannelPorts, commented, “The last 12 months have been some of the most tumultuous in our 50-year history for customs clearance. Of course, January this year saw the UK become a ‘3rd country’ to the EU, mandating customs entries for all goods entering or leaving. On top of that, COVID-induced lockdowns saw a huge uptick in e-commerce, meaning items that may once have been bought in-store became part of this ever-more-complex customs process. Our answer to rising volumes of required declarations, and the fact that many businesses across the UK and EU were about to face customs clearance for the first time come January, was to automate the entire process and use our customs specialists as quality controllers instead of data entry clerks.”
“We wanted to develop systems and procedures that would make the process as straightforward as possible. To reduce the sting of the new requirements, we also wanted our offering to be cost-effective, by providing a fixed cost per consignment. Since the launch of CustomsPro to market, we frequently hear from our SME customers how ‘surprisingly simple’ the customs process actually is.”
CustomsPro can deliver customs clearance UK-wide at RoRo ports recognised by HMRC.
To learn more about how CustomsPro can help you, visit the website.
About ChannelPorts
ChannelPorts have been clearing goods through the customs process since 1974 and have managed many changes in the regulatory process, often being at the forefront of developing procedures that are adopted nationally. Their expertise is clearing goods in and out of the “Roll on, Roll off” ports of the UK. For more information, follow ChannelPorts on LinkedIn or visit ChannelPorts.co.uk.