Technology Archives | Page 9 of 15

HMRC export deadline and rogue hauliers

Dec 6, 2023 | Customs, Exports, Road, Technology

With the deadline fast approaching for export declarations moving to the Customs Declaration Service HMRC are highlighting a worrying trend at the border, with misuse of valid documents leaving innocent exporters potentially non-compliant and exposed to penalties.

In their latest Customs Declaration Service (CDS) update HMRC remind traders that all export declarations must move from their legacy Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF) system to CDS by Saturday 30th March 2024.

We are continuing to work with our customers, setting them up on CDS for all export routes and the different types of export declaration submitted at the UK border, including Transit (TAD) and the Goods Vehicle Movement Service (GVMS).

It is these latter two that HMRC focused on, in highlighting Goods Movement Reference (GMR) errors by hauliers that are leading to issues at the UK and EU border.

Consistent misuse of valid export CDS documents where the transit document is being used for the convenience of the haulier means that shipments are not arrived in the correct manner.

Exporters have a legal obligation to pre-lodge declarations if they are moving their goods through a location using GVMS and pass evidence of this for a haulier to complete a GMR.

Hauliers have a legal obligation to carry evidence that pre-lodged customs declarations or reference numbers for Simplified Customs Procedure authorised traders are in place for all the goods they are moving.

This is met by hauliers completing a GMR which must include a declaration reference for each consignment as proof that a pre-lodged declaration has been made.

Carriers require a valid GMR to be presented at the port of departure before allowing the vehicle or trailer to board.

HMRC’s issue is that hauliers are inappropriately using TAD MRN (transit document) as suitable evidence for the export MRN reference, irrespective of what else is loaded to the trailer, which is not the case when a DUCR has been issued..

The correct use of DUCR or MUCR being advised to customs allows the authorities to “arrive” the customs entry, which means that there is a permanent record of the despatch of the goods so the VAT liability for the shipment is discharged and the zero rated document raised by the shipper becomes validated.

Incorrect GVMS entries by hauliers leads to missing data on exporters MSS reports, missing critical data in terms of managed Customs facilities such as stock records for CFSP locations, which leads to extra admin and inventory shortages, both serious matters.

These export process are incredibly complex and should be of no concern to exporters, but unfortunately many (non-Metro customers) are being caught out by the carriers’ non-compliance.

We work closely with our road transport partners to ensure they have the correct documentation and submit the correct information to GVMS through CDS.

Our CuDoS customs platform automatically monitors the status of export declarations and will flag potential non-compliance issues.

If you have any concerns or questions, regarding CDS or export compliance please EMAIL Andy Fitchett, Brokerage Manager.

Metro win double in October

Nov 22, 2023 | 4PL, Metro, MVT, Technology

In partnership with key technology partners WNS and Windward, Metro has won the Innovation Category at this month’s Supply Chain Excellence and ISG Paragon Awards, for two AI powered solutions.

It is through award-winning initiatives such as these, that we maintain our strong track record in the market - at the cutting edge of new technology - and it is through the power of leveraging these partnerships that new innovations become reality.

The future ability of our customers to compete globally, with competitive advantage in their supply chain, relies on us maintaining high levels of innovation and when we collaborate with the right partners, we all come out as winners.

AI driven Ocean freight visibility

In its 27th year, the Supply Chain Excellence Awards are the longest-standing trade awards in the European supply chain sector and are renowned for their vigorous judging process, which includes formal presentations for finalists and direct feedback from judges.

The winners of the Supply Chain Excellence Awards 2023 were announced at the London Hilton Hotel, Park Lane, on Thursday 9th November, with Metro & Windward winners of The Supply Chain Innovation Award, for our AI powered Ocean visibility solution.

The Ocean Freight Visibility (OFV) solution provides real-time visibility of shipping milestones, with AI Predicted ETAs for better planning, management by exception, and risk mitigation.

OFV is already delivering to a 75% reduction in time spent on shipment operations and a 50% decrease in demurrage & detention costs.

Simon George, Group IT Director. “This award is fitting recognition of a partnership that is built on innovation, trust, and a shared commitment to excellence.

We're not just collaborators, we're design partners, and what we've achieved together is brilliant.

Our journey doesn't end here; it evolves. We're excited about the future possibilities, and promise to continue pushing the boundaries of what's possible.”

Digitising Customs with AI optimised data capture

Information Services Group (ISG), the global technology research and advisory firm, announced the winners of the 2023 ISG Paragon Awards, which celebrate the transformation of industry partnerships through new approaches and technologies, at the Park Plaza Victoria London on the 15th November.

In partnership with WNS, Metro won the Innovation Category, with the judges “Recognising the importance of imagination and entrepreneurial spirit in helping organisations future-proof their businesses and better serve clients.”

In the run up to Brexit, the Metro management team recognised that customers trading with Europe would need significant support to cope with an impending tsunami of new EU/UK border controls and tasked the Technical Solutions team with finding a solution.

Customs Document System (CuDoS) was their solution. To massively increase the volume of customs declarations that could be handled at any time, by digitising and automating the process.

Since 2020 Metro has partnered with WNS, a leading Business Process Management (BPM) provider, to leverage their technology, analytics and process expertise to co-create innovative, digitally led solutions.

For Metro’s CuDoS solution this meant the automation of cognitive data extraction and contextualisation, using the latest AI/ML and automation capabilities to overhaul and optimise the data capture and customs declaration processes.

With WNS’ digitisation support, Metro’s CuDoS solution is now achieving an SLA of 98% on turnaround times (customer submission/request through to document delivery) of under two hours and other CuDoS performance statistics were just as compelling for the judges:

– 20% reduction in headline costs, with 25% increase in volumes
– 96% of declarations processed and submitted to HMRC within 30 minutes of documents receipt
– 99% processing accuracy
– ML/AI contributed to record turnaround speeds under 8 mins

Metro are at the forefront of AI-powered shipment visibility, automated customs brokerage solutions, global emissions monitoring and supply chain management, with our MVT platform.

To learn more about any of the solutions highlighted in this report, or to arrange a demo, EMAIL Ian Powell, Customer & Technical Solutions Director.

Major system upgrade deployed

Oct 24, 2023 | 4PL, Metro, MVT, Technology

Industry leading operating system CargoWise is now in place, with Metro recently completing a three year project to transition to the new core freight forwarding operations platform.

Headed by our Business Process Solutions (BPS) team of 12 the project’s success is testament to the remarkable dedication and teamwork exhibited by every member involved within BPS and the other Solutions teams.

Metro began implementing the CargoWise transition three years ago, department by department, with large parts of the business successfully transitioning through the lockdown period, with modular learning, devised by our internal training team.

Our ops teams are constantly executing highly complex shipping transactions across multiple users, functions, offices, countries, currencies and languages, and vast amounts of time, effort and teamwork were necessary to map out the workflows for each department and individual customer.

The documented workflows standardised best practice in automating and optimising business processes and real-time data visibility.

Critically, through the transition process, we continued to provide our valued customers with an uninterrupted service, by taking scoping sessions, UAT and staff training outside of core hours. BPS further supported their colleagues with an extended period of in-person hyper support, so that each department had ‘go-live’ desk support.

By integrating CargoWise digital processes, business rules and workflows, we can identify and eradicate errors before anything untoward happens, which means that instead of ‘fire-fighting’ operational issues, our colleagues are now free to concentrate on adding more value for our customers.

Customer and supplier integrations accounted for a large part of the transition to ensure all needs were safely catered for. Real-time visibility, detailed financial reporting, performance management and improved data quality speed up processes and decision making, and increases the volume of data we can share with customers, enhancing the way they can view and manipulate this information.

The project has been three years in the planning, training and implementation, with every area of the company being completely reviewed and processes optimised, with the final part of the Metro business transitioning to CargoWise on the 1st October.

Metro’s supply chain management portal, MVT, now boasts compatible modules including customs (CuDoS), DC delivery management, environment, and tracking, with notification engine solutions, which embrace AI, machine learning and automation technology.

The project’s completion underlines our commitment to establishing and upholding the very best standards and emphasises our dedication to tailoring solutions to meet the specific needs and requirements of our diverse customer base.

Metro are at the forefront of digital freight operations, electronic trade documentation and automated customs brokerage solutions.

The Metro board continue to invest in technical capabilities and innovative technology, which adds value for the business and our customers. EMAIL Ian Powell, to learn more.

Unleashing creativity and collaboration

Oct 24, 2023 | Metro, MVT, Technology

In an ever-evolving business landscape, staying ahead of the curve requires constant innovation and foresight, and a crucial step in achieving this is through internal workshops that challenge the status quo and stimulate new ideas.

Metro’s Technical Solutions leadership team recently hosted colleagues in a cross-functional workshop, to enhance internal cooperation and cultivate initiatives for our 2024 roadmap.

The workshop was followed by team building activities and a post-event dinner, to foster camaraderie and collaboration among colleagues, that will prove invaluable for Metro’s future success.

Representatives from the Metro board kicked off the session by presenting an overview of the organisation's strategy and goals for 2024 and beyond, providing a solid foundation for the workshop.

Technical Solutions is focused on four key areas and delegates were reminded that their output had to incorporate at least one of the following characteristics.

- Digitalisation: The continued adoption of digital technologies that improves processes and creates new opportunities

- Digital twin: Creating indistinguishable digital counterparts to the physical supply chain.

- Platform Engineering: Accelerated development in customer facing applications.

- Big data: Integrate, manage, and analyse to uncover and deliver business value.

The workshop provided the ideal platform for participants to unleash their collective creativity and explore initiatives and ideas that aligned with Metro’s long-term goals.

The output was really thoughtful and impressive, with a wide range of creative ideas and improvement considered. The most worthy now forming apart of our development roadmap for the next 12 to 18 months including the following.

1. The automation and semi-automation of multiple manual processes, including further innovation of existing ML and AI technology deployed in our customs application, CuDoS.

2. Further development to our ocean freight visibility and enhanced visibility on air and road freight shipments.

3. The migration of additional existing applications to our new technology stack, delivering a curated set of applications that will increase end users’ productivity.

4. Advanced business intelligence – leveraging our extensive data to provide customers with on demand reporting and analytics, that deliver actionable insight to drive supply chain performance.

Metro is leading the industry in developing the technologies and platforms that simplify supply chain management, with visibility, environment and customs modules, together with integrations of critical digital trade documents, including electronic bills of lading (eBL).

By investing in days like this, Metro is positioning itself for a positive future, driven by innovation, collaboration, and a shared vision for future success.

EMAIL Ian Powell for further Information on our digital capability and how this can benefit your global trade and business growth ambitions.