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BREXIT is reality. The UK left the European Union at the end of January 2020 under a transition period that expires on December 31 this year. Despite ongoing negotiations, no formal agreement between the UK and the EU has been reached so far.

This points directly to a hard BREXIT situation, creating difficult situations for all parties involved in supply chain traffic between the UK and the EU. 75% of all UK-EU traffic currently runs with driver accompanied trucks. With up to 2 days expected truck-queuing to cross the border after the UK has left the EU, the unaccompanied alternative to send trailers/containers by Short-Sea-Vessel to the UK will, within a short time also be strongly constrained.

Our Solution

Chartered vessel Rotterdam – Teesport with sufficient capacity

In 2018 Bertschi initiated a chartered ferry connection between Rotterdam and Teesport, connecting our two bonded terminals in Rotterdam-Botlek and Teesport-Middlesbrough. The vessel runs 2-3 times per week and has dedicated space for Bertschi.

New customs process: preparing for clearance of goods whilst at sea

Delays are created by the need to contact importers prior to delivery to agree terms and guarantee VAT/duty. The new product in collaboration with a specialized customs agent is made to preserve transit time and secures seamless flow of goods. It is achieved by preparing for the clearance of goods whilst at sea. Once arrived, containers will not be stuck on vehicles but instead directly lifted off and cleared. Possibility can be offered to clear goods through Bertschi’s own deferment account.

Bertschi Rotterdam

Bertschi Rotterdam terminal with its direct rail, road, and sea access offers bonded storage capacity for DG and non-DG containerized products (3,000 container units in total), including heating for liquid products or transshipment of bulk plastics. The direct site connection to the ferry terminal enhances the ability of moving container units without additional handlings, truckings, or third party involvement. For bulk plastics, there is a tipping frame available to trans-ship into a payload-optimized 30ft bag-in-a-box container. 

Bertschi UK

At Bertschi UK in Middlesbrough, which is 4 miles from Teesport, Bertschi owns and operates a bonded and AEO-approved terminal with a storage capacity of 2,700 containers for DG and non-DG products including heating, providing flexibility for safety stock and distribution throughout the UK at short notice. For import plastics, there is a tipping frame to trans-ship plastics in bulk from deep-sea boxes to payload-optimized 30’ bag-in-a-box containers to minimize demurrage/detention. A warehouse of 24,000m² including debagging machines is in operation on-site for palletized plastics. Bertschi trucks and drivers are securing sufficient capacity to call off products in line with customer demand.

Bertschi Internal BREXIT Management

Centralized project handling management has been established at the Bertschi HQ in Switzerland. If there are any questions regarding Bertschi BREXIT please contact Mr. Adrian Gautschi, (adrian.gautschi@bertschi.com / Tel: +41 (0)62 767 67 19).

Brexit Guidelines

Brexit situation is still not certain and can change at short notice. As of today guidelines have not been released by UK customs authorities. Details previously announced in preparation for customs clearance procedures are awaiting an update. New guidelines will be available via www.gov.uk/transition.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.