Post-Brexit What Will Happen At The Port Of Gothenburg?

Post-Brexit What Will Happen At The Port Of Gothenburg?

As per the current update, on the 31st of October, the UK is to leave the EU. However, there is no clue about what will happen to those that operate the ship between Sweden and the UK via the Port of Gothenburg; also, the effect that it will have on those handling non-UK freight at the port is not known.

The road which leads to this was long and difficult however, the date is for the withdrawal is approaching soon.

It does not whether that ‘Brexit’ will be a ‘soft’ or ‘hard’ one, the UK will anyway be categorized as a third party in relation to the countries like Sweden that are a part of the EU because it will be outside the single market. Thus, the regulations as that of the third party will be applied to the UK by the EU in matters such as tariffs, customs controls, and verification of compliance with EU rules governing the nature and quality of goods.

“The exporter must ensure its goods are ready for clearance through customs before they reach the Port of Gothenburg and our terminals. That is the message we are sending out to the market. If an exporter does not have everything in place, they won’t get into the port. The same principle applies to imports from the UK – goods that are not ready for clearance before they are shipped to Sweden risk getting stuck at our terminals,” said Elvir Dzanic, Gothenburg Port Authority chief executive.

Challenge for smaller enterprises

Brexit will eventually materialize, this will be no surprise for those who transport the goods to and from the UK. However, according to Elvir Dzanic, it would still be difficult to take the correct measures on time by some companies.

“My view is that the major players are well prepared. It is generally the smaller enterprises that do not have the administrative capacity of the large freight owners and freight forwarders. Having said that, I still stand by what I said earlier. Do not turn up at the Port of Gothenburg without having all your customs documents in order.”

It is not just the companies that are dealing with the UK that are worried about the Brexit. The other companies that use the port are also thinking about how those who use the port other than trade with the UK will be affected by the probable queues at the gates.

“We don’t believe there will be queues at the terminal gates. If there are problems, they will occur earlier in the system – at the main Port Entry gate for example – where we need to be prepared. As a contingency, we have identified a number of areas in the vicinity of the port where trucks may need to be temporarily parked pending clearance,” said Elvir Dzanic.

No need to panic

“I don’t think that would benefit anyone. Obviously nobody knows exactly how things will be until it happens, but from experience, I know that the logistics industry is the master of the ‘quick fix’ when faced with a new situation,” said Elvir Dzanic, who continued:

“When new customs rules came into effect ten years ago, there was a great deal of concern, but the industry adapted rapidly then and I’m sure it will be the same now.”

Reference: Port of Gothenburg