The UK government is ramping up its preparations for the end of the transition period with the launch of a £200 million fund for ports to build new facilities.

New infrastructure at ports will be needed whether or not the UK secures a negotiated agreement with the EU as the UK is leaving the Customs Union and Single Market and new procedures will be coming into place.

The fund is targeted at those ports that have the space to build new border infrastructure on their current sites so that they are ready to handle new customs requirements under the new Border Operating Model. The funding can be used for a range of vital port infrastructure – from warehouses and control posts to traffic management systems.

The deadline for applications is midday on 30 October, with successful bids announced shortly after.

Where infrastrastructure is not best situated at ports, the government has allocated an additional £270 million to build inland customs facilities.

Recognising the impact of coronavirus on businesses’ ability to prepare, the UK has taken the decision to introduce new border controls in three stages up until 1 July 2021. This flexible and pragmatic approach will give industry extra time to make necessary arrangements. The stages are:

• From January 2021: Traders importing standard goods, covering everything from clothes to electronics, will need to prepare for basic customs requirements, such as keeping sufficient records of imported goods, and will have up to six months to complete customs declarations. While tariffs will need to be paid on all imports, payments can be deferred until the customs declaration has been made. There will be checks on controlled goods like alcohol and tobacco. Businesses will also need to consider how they account for VAT on imported goods. There will also be physical checks at the point of destination or other approved premises on all high risk live animals and plants.

• From April 2021: All products of animal origin (POAO) – for example meat, pet food, honey, milk or egg products – and all regulated plants and plant products will also require pre-notification and the relevant health documentation.

• From July 2021: Traders moving all goods will have to make declarations at the point of importation and pay relevant tariffs. Full Safety and Security declarations will be required, while for SPS commodities there will be an increase in physical checks and the taking of samples: checks for animals, plants and their products will now take place at GB Border Control Posts.

The opening of the fund has been welcomed by industry, and will see ports accelerate their preparations for the end of the year, as well as give industry confidence that all required infrastructure will be delivered on time.

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Michael Gove, said: “With just 3 months to go until the end of the UK transition period, businesses need to prepare now for the new procedures that will come into place whether or not we reach a trade agreement with the EU, so that we can seize the significant opportunities that lie ahead.”

“We have listened to businesses and the border industry and will continue to work with them to deliver not just a fully operational border at the end of the transition period, but also the world’s most effective and secure border within the next five years. The launch of this £200 million fund will help us do just that.”

Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps, said:  “Our ports are a point of pride for the UK, contributing to our success as a global trading nation and helping bring vital goods into the country each and every day.

“This investment will not only ensure our borders are fully operational at the end of the transition period, but will also support the UK’s fantastic businesses as they trade across Europe.”

Tim Morris of the UK Major Ports Group, the trade association for the UK’s largest port operators, commented: “There is significant port capacity around the coast of the UK for handling freight flows to and from the EU. Today’s announcement is a welcome step in ensuring that this capacity can be maximised and UK supply chains can be more resilient.

“Time is short and it is vital that UK businesses prepare for new border arrangements. We will work urgently with the Government on the all-important detail and related regulations.”

Loaded with multiple cargoes for multiple clients from ports in Spain, Italy and Greece, Jumbo Vision recently arrived in the USA with loads bound for Florida, Louisiana and Texas. While this is ‘just another day’ for Jumbo’s logistics team, this voyage shows the company’s planning expertise and global shipping coverage. The ‘fix’ included a large shipment of delicate cargo: yachts.

From reactors to yachts

One of Jumbo’s H-800 class vessels, the 110-metre Jumbo Vision carried five separate cargoes. The first load consisted of three 173-tonne transformers, the second load was a 368-tonne urea reactor, the third load was an 87-tonne high temperature shifter and a 23-tonne methanator. The fourth and fifth loads consisted of no less than nine yachts, a contract from WeShipYachts.

Extra: a 230-tonne mobile crane

The cargoes, for several clients in Spain, Italy and Greece, were all loaded into the 11,000m³ hold and onto the 1,500m² of free deck space. “Of course we are well-known for our super heavy lift and offshore installation projects, but we also have smaller, versatile H-class ships, each with two 400-tonne cranes and operating on the worldwide spot tramp market. With them, we can be extremely competitive,” says Jumbo’s Regional Commercial Manager Martin Breucha.

An interesting detail was that, in between loading the cargoes destined for the USA, Jumbo Vision also picked up an inter-Europe load, taking a 230-tonne mobile crane from Malaga along the coast to Motril, Spain.

Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement has reached a milestone in further digitizing its ship management operations. By implementing the new mobile application QDMS WIKI, the maritime solutions provider allows its employees synchronized access to all latest BSM procedures, manuals, and documents – anywhere and at any time. Even in areas without internet access.

“Minimizing risks is paramount in our industry. With the QDMS WIKI app, BSM is taking an important step in providing permanent access to guidance and information needed to perform tasks compliant with our procedures, further increasing safety and security on our ships”, explains Frank Lasse, Director Loss Prevention and Safety Quality (LPSQ) at BSM.

Each BSM-managed vessel will be equipped with mobile devices that utilise the pre-installed and synchronised application. Further, the QDMS WIKI app is available in app stores for iOS and Android devices. It allows shore and sea staff to search for specific procedures addressing their planned tasks offline, such as safety and fleet management manuals.

In addition to enhancing safety standards and facilitating efficient procedures for the crew, with the QDMS WIKI app, BSM contributes to further reducing waste by eliminating printed copies of manuals aboard their vessels. “Considering that the advantages of mobile software solutions are so multi-faceted, we are currently evaluating which other operational modules can be digitized next”, says Frank Lasse.