“We need a feasible solution by 1 June”

The changes in the scanning procedure for containers arriving in Rotterdam have been keeping the minds behind closed doors busy for many months already. Peter Vebaas, from the GroentenFruit Huis, has been talking to customs on behalf of a very active group of members and the entire sector in order to find a solution. “We have deliberately not sought the media during this entire process. We are all working together to fix this problem. It is exasperating that we have reached such an unworkable situation because of a limited number of incidents.”

The problems started mid-January of this year, when customs announced via a letter that they were going to dispense with the ‘external track’ starting 1 February. GroentenFruit Huis also knew that customs was looking for a different interpretation, yet this announcement was unexpected. “We knew customs had this wish,” Verbaas says. “Some companies used the temporary solution, the external track, to quickly and cheaply carry off containers, and the measure was never meant for that. Besides, there are always risks involved.” That the external track is being converted back into a proper temporary solution is ‘explainable’ according to Verbaas. A number of preconditions must be met to optimise the flow of containers via the internal tracks. And that is where the friction is.

“We are not at all against the abolishing of the ‘external track’ from a security perspective, but it does mean that procedures for the ‘internal track’ must be decently regulated.” The GroentenFruit Huis thinks that containers should be carried off within 24 hours after entry. Customs and business in the port agreed that this term should be 36 hours. “You can bicker all you want about that, the most important thing is that if they personally say 36 hours, they should stick to that. And too often they do not.”

The GroentenFruit Huis lodged a protest on behalf of its members and asked for a direct conversation with customs about the unexpected abolishing of the external track. The conversation only took place after the measure was introduced. “Because of that, we did have a number of expected examples about what all went wrong during the first few weeks.” The three pressure points visible to the professional organisation: “Non-communication, cost and delays.”

The talks did not go well and eventually communications died down. “Customs in this case are not working as energetically as we are used to from them.” The talks started again only after the GroentenFruit Huis went to the State Secretary. “The fundamental attitude was not very promising yet, but that does not affect the necessity to find a solution.” That resulted in the agreement that a feasible solution must be found by 1 June.

Meanwhile the issue has become a considerable cost for the importers. The largest obstacle is around peak times in the port. “When many or large ships enter, more containers are on the quays than are able to go through the 36-hour scanner. The port does not distinguish in order to prioritise certain containers.”

The emergency procedure, in which the importer can deliver the container to the scanner personally, is still providing only limited results. The fact that several incidents occurred since 1 February, does not contribute to a solution. “Often there are communication problems and company mistakes, but customs does not select the containers for no reason.”

Both parties must have the process in order, Verbaas argues. In business they are called ‘incidents,’ but for customs the problems are ‘structural.’ “Customs knows exactly how many containers enter and how many they select. They also know how much capacity the scanner has.”

Extra scanning capacity and proper agreements with the terminals could solve many problems. “That is an expensive solution for customs, but right now the entire bill is for business. We understand the problems visible to customs, and perhaps the solution should be a compromise, but two should move in order to find that solution.”

Communications could also be better. The containers are selected before arriving in the port. The sector would therefore like clear and proactive communications about when a container becomes available to an importer again. “It needs to be crystal clear what and how that will happen, so that a trader can make a good plan and know when he can pick up the container. Communication in the broadest sense must just be streamlined.”