THE European Shippers' Council (ESC) expects chaos in the Channel ports in the event of a no-deal Brexit, reports New York's FreightWaves.
One would have to fill out new forms, it said. 'Many companies are already too late because to have distribution organised in a proper way you have to have, perhaps, additional warehouse space in the UK,' said the Brussels-based ESC secretary general Godfried Smit.
'It's the same situation if you want to do you own customs declarations. You would need to install your own automated system and there aren't enough customs software developers and installers,' he said.
'If you don't want to do it yourself, you need a customs agent, but there are only so many, and most are already working for their long-term customers,' Mr Smit said.
What is clear, Mr Smit told FreightWaves, is that ports on the English Channel will be chaotic in the days and weeks after a no-deal Brexit and shippers urgently need to prepare for the worst.
'I think the impact will vary much from sector to sector,' he said. 'And there is also separation between big companies and smaller companies [in terms of preparedness]. But we see still a lot of companies that are not fully prepared.
'Many of them have looked at how they can continue trading with the UK in a no-deal scenario and have applied for the correct authorisations. Some of them are still hoping for the best,' Mr Smit said.
WORLD SHIPPING
One would have to fill out new forms, it said. 'Many companies are already too late because to have distribution organised in a proper way you have to have, perhaps, additional warehouse space in the UK,' said the Brussels-based ESC secretary general Godfried Smit.
'It's the same situation if you want to do you own customs declarations. You would need to install your own automated system and there aren't enough customs software developers and installers,' he said.
'If you don't want to do it yourself, you need a customs agent, but there are only so many, and most are already working for their long-term customers,' Mr Smit said.
What is clear, Mr Smit told FreightWaves, is that ports on the English Channel will be chaotic in the days and weeks after a no-deal Brexit and shippers urgently need to prepare for the worst.
'I think the impact will vary much from sector to sector,' he said. 'And there is also separation between big companies and smaller companies [in terms of preparedness]. But we see still a lot of companies that are not fully prepared.
'Many of them have looked at how they can continue trading with the UK in a no-deal scenario and have applied for the correct authorisations. Some of them are still hoping for the best,' Mr Smit said.
WORLD SHIPPING