Tips For Minimising Disruption At The Border

Tips For Minimising Disruption At The Border

Since the turn of the financial year, we have seen a significant increase in goods being pulled by customs and port health authorities.

So, to put customers in the best position possible, and avoid unnecessary delays, we have created a short guide to keeping your goods on track.

Minimise mistakes

Naturally, customs authorities have targets they need to meet as part of their internal processes. These typically relate to how many vehicles are searched and, more recently, the types of products being transited such as Russian embargoed steel and plastic items from China that are used to store and serve food as a result of reported lead issues.

Ultimately there’s no way to avoid random checks. However, if you get the paperwork wrong once, you increase your likelihood of being checked again. And that likelihood increases every time you make a mistake.

For repeat offenders, delays, waiting costs and more comprehensive checks are an inevitability. Which is why it’s even more crucial for paperwork to be correct the first-time round to avoid future checks and all the tribulation that comes with them.

Pay attention to the paperwork

To ensure smooth sailing at the borders, every international shipment needs a correctly filled out commercial invoice that includes:

• Unit prices
• Total price
• Total commercial value
• Country of origin
• The origin statement (if applicable)

You’ll also need HS codes for each item with accurate descriptions. We often see invoices with incorrect HS codes and a breakdown of prices and weights per item missing. Get this wrong and you will be hit with delays.

Don’t forget additional documentation

items such as hazardous goods, food and other licensed products often require additional papers and are subject to stringent checks by both customs and port health authorities.

These items have much higher chances of being pulled due to the nature of the goods. Making sure these additional papers are in place before shipping will mitigate the chances of being pulled. And in the case of food items, prevent expiration and spoilage.

Correctly package and label goods

By ensuring that all packages are packed safely, and correctly, for international transport you can again mitigate the chances of random selection.

You can also ensure that all cargo is labelled with collection and delivery details along with any other special requirements (hazardous labels, food certificates etc) that comply with the destination countries regulations.

Get advice from an expert

If you’re unsure our experts are here all year round to offer support with your supply chain. So, if you have any questions concerning documentation or what’s required of you at customs, speak to your account manager or contact the road freight team on roadfreight@cardinalgl.com.