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HMRC’s new declaration system: What you need to do

Apr 21, 2022 | ,

The Customs Declaration Service (CDS) will become the only UK customs platform when HMRC starts to phase out its legacy CHIEF system later this year and businesses importing goods into the UK need to take action on the government gateway.

Launched over 30 years ago the customs handling of import and export freight system (CHIEF) identifies goods for checks at ports and airports and is the channel for submitting customs declarations to HMRC, making it critical to the flow of international trade.

The decision to replace CHIEF was made prior to the EU referendum in 2015 and the new customs declaration service (CDS) was due to launch ahead of the UK leaving the EU, but it was not ready on time, to handle the large increase in customs declarations, which left HMRC updating and extending the use of CHIEF.

The government now feels confident that CDS can handle the increase in the volume of declarations resulting from Brexit, which have been estimated at 400 million p.a.

HMRC is moving from paper-based rules on CHIEF, to data processing rules on CDS in two stages:

  • 30th September 2022 – Import declarations will no longer be accepted via CHIEF
  • 31st March 2023 – Export declarations will no longer be accepted via CHIEF and the National Export System (NES)

CDS is replacing the HMRC legacy system for processing customs declarations and even though we will be preparing and submitting these declarations on behalf of our customers, you need to register on the government gateway so that your business can:

  • Get Import VAT statements and certificates to assist you in completing your VAT returns
  • Set up a new direct debit mandate, if you’re a deferment account holder

Request access to CDS through your existing government gateway account, using this LINK: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/get-access-to-the-customs-declaration-service.

NOTE – If you are a deferment account holder, you must set up a new direct-debit mandate for CDS, as the one for CHIEF will not work

You will need to provide HMRC with the following:

  • EORI number
  • Unique Tax Reference Number (UTR)
  • Registered business address for Customs records
  • The date on which you started your business

Once registered for CDS you will be able to view your “financial dashboard” on the Government Gateway, which is where you can set up a new direct debit mandate for your deferment account.

The application process should only take a few minutes and we recommend that you get access now, so that you are ready to get your first import VAT statement.

If you have not heard of CDS, or how to access the government gateway, we can guide you through the changes and actions required.

Contact us now for further information, discuss your situation and see our automated customs platform, CuDoS.

Andy Fitchett, who leads our brokerage team and function, and is a market-leading expert in the area, will be delighted to personally assist you with your enquiry.

The Metro team talk Simon George

Leading by example

Mar 10, 2022 | , , ,

Effective planning for the receipt of inbound ocean cargo, requires accurate arrival dates, but with schedule reliability at all time lows, the effective management of imports has never been more challenging. Metro’s new ‘Vessel Tracking’ tool links directly with transceivers on board, to follow real-time progress and uses AI to detect changes and automatically correct expected arrival dates, so that plans can be updated. 

At Metro shipping, we move over 100,000 containers every year and it's becoming increasingly difficult to solely rely on the arrival data the carriers are providing, we require additional levels of visibility that go way beyond the standard.
According to our systems, less than 20% of container vessels are arriving on time and some trade lanes have reliability of less than 2% on-time schedule reliability. 

The ability of vessels to hit their port berthing window impacts shippers that have goods or equipment tied up on the ocean voyage, with ripple impacts from delays all along the extended supply chain.

The Metro Technical Solutions team have been working closely with Windward, the Predictive Intelligence company, that apply AI to global maritime trade, to integrate their Ocean Freight Visibility solution with the Metro supply chain platform, MVT.

Utilising AI to get predictive ETA data is an important development. To see the impact of vessel behaviour, weather, port congestion all being evaluated is quite exciting for us and Windward's data stacked up incredibly well, in terms of what we found in the predictive data.

The resulting MVT ‘Track Your Vessel’ module improves inbound planning efficiency, with automated data collection and analysis to provide real-time accurate ETA predictions, disruption risk predictions, reasons for delay, and location-based insights for inbound cargo. 

Effective planning for the receipt of inbound ocean cargo, is dependent on knowledge of the vessel’s actual arrival date and even with schedule reliability at all time lows, the automated updating of accurate vessel ETAs by the MVT ‘Track Your Vessel’ module supports the effective management of imports, customs processes and swift delivery to the importer.

In a forthcoming webinar, Metro’s technical solutions director, Simon George, will show how technology can turn transform import challenges into effective operations, that exceed customer expectations.

"We need to provide first-class digital solutions. This last year has been one of the worst in terms of predicting how your supply chain is going to perform. Anything that could’ve gone wrong, has gone wrong. As an example, not only is it costing up to 10x more to move freight, instead of 35 days shipments are taking 45 or 50 days. Technology can’t fix that. But it can help you make decisions within those constraints. You can make data-driven decisions."

Simon, together with former Maersk executive, Lars Jensen and members of the Windward team will discuss how to turn formidable challenges, including supply chain disruption, into promising opportunities. 

The Windward webinar takes place on Thursday 17th March @ 11am. Click HERE to register for this event.

The MVT ‘Track Your Vessel’ module automatically follows all ships carrying containers with our cargo on the water. The module instantly detects an ETA change or an arrival at POD and automatically updates the MVT platform.

Our technical solutions team are constantly innovating and evolving the MVT platforms to ensure that, whatever the challenge, our customers’ products are in the right place, at the right time. 

For further information on our MVT platform and to discuss how we can enhance your supply chains, please get in touch with Eilliot Carlile or Simon George.

AIS

Metro launch enhanced tracking tool as on-time ship arrivals hit six-year low

Jan 27, 2022 | , , , ,

With global shipping schedule reliability at a six-year low and just 33% of ships arriving on time, during a chaotic year for container shipping, Metro Shipping is enhancing its MVT supply chain platform, with even greater scrutiny of real-time vessel tracking.

The ability of vessels to hit their port berthing window impacts shippers and other carriers that have goods or equipment tied up on the ocean voyage, with ripple impacts along the extended supply chain.

Metro’s new ‘Vessel Tracking’ tool links directly with (AIS) transceivers on ships carrying Metro cargo, to follow real-time progress and detect any ETA change or arrival at POD

The busiest trade lane, the eastbound trans-Pacific to the US West Coast, remained the most under pressure, with on-time performance at 10.4% for November, a slight improvement from October, with an average delay of just over 13 days from Asia in November, which is double the average delay seen a year ago.

Asia–US East Coast services had the seventh-lowest reliability among container trade lanes, Sea-Intelligence data shows, reaching 18.7% in November, up from 15.5% in October. Ships arriving on the US East Coast from Asia were delayed between eight and nine days, also double the level seen in November 2020.

The Asia-North Europe trade lane saw schedule reliability hit 24.5% in November, down from 43.5% in November 2020, while the Asia-Mediterranean lane sat at 22.3% voyage reliability.

On-time performance varies widely across carriers, as ships have faced delayed berth calls and long waits at anchor due to heavy congestion across many ports globally, forcing carriers to make last-minute adjustments to try to return ships to schedule, which has affected reliability.

BBC warn that shipping delays could continue well into 2022 - READ MORE

The 2M Alliance showed the highest schedule reliability, with 46.3% of Maersk vessels hitting their berthing window, Hamburg Süd hit 40.4% and Mediterranean Shipping Co achieving 32.4% on 2,555 voyages during November.

Ocean Alliance members, though, saw generally worsening reliability, with CMA CGM drop 3.7% to 27.9% across 3,352 voyages and Cosco Shipping reliability fall to 20.2% for November on 2,863 voyages.

Don’t forget the statistic of 33% on time arrivals relates to all global container vessel movements – it is not route specific. Deep-sea and, in particular Asia/ Europe/ Asia schedules would actually fall significantly below this figure, with some quoting the majority of vessels arriving off schedule, on the longer haul lanes.

With our enhanced tracking tool, you can ‘see’ the delays and issues, so you can plan and communicate this within your business and to end clients. This is our objective – an early ‘warning system’ that allows you to adjust your supply chain accordingly. It is expected that vessels will continue to be delayed for the foreseeable future and maybe the whole of 2022.

The MVT 'Track Your Vessel' module automatically follows all ships carrying containers with our cargo on the water. The module instantly detects an ETA change or an arrival at POD and automatically updates the MVT platform.

If the ETA change is +- 7 days, the relevant Metro operations team is sent a message by MVT, to advise them that a significant change has occurred and remedial action may be required.

Our technical solutions team are constantly innovating and evolving the MVT platforms to ensure that, whatever the challenge, our customers' products are in the right place, at the right time. 

Creating unique technical and operational supply chain solutions, to address each customer’s unique situation, is what differentiates us and has provided the platform for over four decades of sustained growth.

For further information on our MVT platform and to discuss how we can enhance your supply chains, please get in touch with Eilliot Carlile,  or your usual Metro team account manager, who will advise the options available, to ensure that expectations are met despite market impact.

ECO globe 2021

Metro deliver on ECO promise

Jan 13, 2022 | , , ,

Having conceived, created and launched the MVT Eco module in 2021 - to monitor the CO2 equivalent emissions, of each consignment we move - and committed to environmental transparency, Metro has now officially offset our emissions for 2020.

Companies’ response to climate change is arguably the most pressing issue facing society, which is why the UK government joined 38 international partners to welcome the establishment of new international sustainability reporting standards at COP26. 

Metro is among the 13,000 corporations that have committed to environmental transparency, using international sustainability reporting standards, by disclosing our environmental impact and working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, safeguard water resources and protect forests.

Metro’s MVT Eco module, which is part of our MVT suite of digital solutions and unique supply chain ecosystem management tools, monitors the energy emissions, emission costs and CO2 equivalent emissions, of each consignment we move, by every mode. Metro customers have free access, to monitor the environmental impact of their supply chains and participate in offset projects that will eradicate their CO2 footprint.

Metro partnered with environmental consultancy Comply Direct, to undertake an organisational carbon footprint exercise, to measure, target, reduce and offset our carbon footprint, across all areas under operational control within the UK. Conducted under international sustainability reporting standards, using the internationally recognised GHG Corporate Standard Protocol.

Metro is committed through our ISO 14001 system to reduce our footprint, by fully offsetting current emissions through purchasing verified carbon offsets, which allows Metro to take responsibility for the emissions already released, while taking steps to reduce emissions going forward.

The projects Metro support are aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals, and include protecting the rainforest in Brazil, providing clean cooking stoves in Kenya and helping to assist the delivery of renewable energy to India, a country currently heavily reliant on coal.

We know that our actions are a small step, but if all companies took similar responsibility and action, we are absolutely convinced it really would make a difference. Many small steps will take you a long way.

In 2022 we will make further progress with additional initiatives, including EV charging points in our office car parks and the adoption of EV company cars as existing cars are replaced. On a larger scale we are working with partners that use the most sustainable methods of fuel and energy and that have adopted, and implemented, their own environmental policies and protocols to ensure that we can create some of the most eco-friendly and green supply chains from and to anywhere, globally.

The MVT ECO module is a cloud-based solution, that is available, free-of-charge, to all our shippers on their MVT dashboard, where they can view key eco statistics related to their movements, to see which areas will benefit most from emissions offsetting and where efforts can have the most impact.

To request a demo or discuss your requirements, please contact Simon George, who leads our technical solution team, or Claus Rasmussen to discuss carbon reduction strategies and the availability of offset projects.

It really does work!

Category: Technology

Environment | IMO 2020 | Metro | Sea | Supply Chain | Technology

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