Port of Antwerp speeds up reefer goods handling
As of 1 January 2012 products of animal origin imported through the port of Antwerp will be checked only at the Border Inspection Post on the left bank of the Scheldt. The inspection post on the right bank will be closed down for good as of the same date, Port of Antwerp said Tuesday. So, refrigerated goods will be able to transit through the port of Antwerp even more quickly and efficiently. The General Administration of Customs & Excise and the Federal Agency for Safety of the Food Chin have introduced an integrated procedure in the Border Inspection Post on the left bank, which will considerably shorten the transit times of such goods in the port of Antwerp.
Thanks to this collaboration, declarants will not only make time savings but will also gain in operational security. This in turn will enable transport to be planned and carried out in a more efficient, reliable way, ultimately reducing the overall logistics cost. Reefer goods will be able to leave the port more quickly, thus further increasing the efficiency of the port of Antwerp as a crucial link in the supply chain. But that’s not all: the one-stop-shop operation of the Border Inspection Post on the left bank is only the first step in a wider set-up that affords gains in efficiency for all perishables handled in the port of Antwerp. Apart from animal products, great attention is also paid to non-animal produce such as fruit and vegetables. Customs & Excise and the Federal Agency for Food Safety collaborate closely with other players in the port, constantly striving to streamline the procedures and adapt the supply chain to the expectations of the various market segments.
Customs & Excise and the Federal Agency for Food Safety share the same location in the Border Inspection Post on the left bank, thus permitting one-stop-shopping. Having combined inspections at a single location avoids having multiple stops and many hours of waiting. A further important advantage of this arrangement is that it centralizes not only the inspections but also the full administrative processing of perishables, for customs and for food safety.
The closure of the inspection post on the right bank will also bring cost benefits for the Port Authority, which will be passed on directly to customers: as of 1 January the inspection dues levied by the Port Authority will be reduced by 25%. In the meantime the closure of the inspection post does not mean that the service in the Customs zone on the right bank (Tijsmans tunnel area) will be withdrawn.
Thanks to this collaboration, declarants will not only make time savings but will also gain in operational security. This in turn will enable transport to be planned and carried out in a more efficient, reliable way, ultimately reducing the overall logistics cost. Reefer goods will be able to leave the port more quickly, thus further increasing the efficiency of the port of Antwerp as a crucial link in the supply chain. But that’s not all: the one-stop-shop operation of the Border Inspection Post on the left bank is only the first step in a wider set-up that affords gains in efficiency for all perishables handled in the port of Antwerp. Apart from animal products, great attention is also paid to non-animal produce such as fruit and vegetables. Customs & Excise and the Federal Agency for Food Safety collaborate closely with other players in the port, constantly striving to streamline the procedures and adapt the supply chain to the expectations of the various market segments.
Customs & Excise and the Federal Agency for Food Safety share the same location in the Border Inspection Post on the left bank, thus permitting one-stop-shopping. Having combined inspections at a single location avoids having multiple stops and many hours of waiting. A further important advantage of this arrangement is that it centralizes not only the inspections but also the full administrative processing of perishables, for customs and for food safety.
The closure of the inspection post on the right bank will also bring cost benefits for the Port Authority, which will be passed on directly to customers: as of 1 January the inspection dues levied by the Port Authority will be reduced by 25%. In the meantime the closure of the inspection post does not mean that the service in the Customs zone on the right bank (Tijsmans tunnel area) will be withdrawn.