What is the new Container Booking System (CBS) in Felixstowe?
The Container Booking System (CBS) replaced the Vehicle Booking System (VBS) in Felixstowe on Monday 15th July. VBS was introduced in 2007, whereby a certain number of appointments were released every hour to prevent congestion.
With the VBS, hauliers could change their container details on a booking until it was applied for – meaning that late clearances and releases could be mitigated by using a placeholder on the booking until your container was ready.
Under the new CBS, there is still an allocation per hour, but there is also the introduction of a Late Notification Period (LNP). The LNP currently applies to import containers only, and begins 12 hours before the start of the booking. Placeholders can still be used to secure CBS slots, but must be removed by 12 hours before the booking begins.
The “load and go” feature from the VBS is still available with the CBS. This is where a container is not customs cleared or landed at the time of booking, but you can check a box which allows you to notify this will be ok by the time of the booking. Note that this feature is only available for bookings between 23:00-08:59.
The Port of Felixstowe has suggested that there will be an additional charge for “load and go” bookings in phase two of the Container Booking System.
Note that “shunters”, who take containers from the port to warehouses or depots, are exempt from the late notification period due to the nature of their operation.
However, your shipments may still be affected if you use warehouses or depots due to CBS’ implications on their overspill capacity. Often, these premises use “regular” hauliers to help with containers, who may now need to charge more to cover the LNP or as an admin fee to cover contesting the fees are for shunts with the port.
How the change from VBS to CBS affects you
With the new late notification period, hauliers lose the flexibility that they can provide to you. If your import clearance is not completed in good time, or you are waiting on release from a carrier, then you risk incurring charges from hauliers who have held a CBS slot for your delivery.
Furthermore, hauliers often need to load containers in the afternoon or evening before the days of delivery – to both balance drivers’ legal working hours with long-distance deliveries, and because early morning bookings are highly contested.
With the new Container Booking System, hauliers no longer have flexibility when arranging this afternoon/evening collection. If a vehicle is running late or a container is not released in time, they are exposed to charges when amending bookings.
To help importers like you avoid charges and to prevent knock-on effects on their own traffic sheets, some hauliers are instigating a “12:00 day one cleared and released for day three delivery” system. This means your container must be ready to be collected two days before delivery so that the haulier is able to collect it the following day, if necessary, and can make the booking without incurring fees.
If you are unable to provide cleared and released containers in time, then the haulier may keep the booking on with the condition you risk/accept the charges.
If you are familiar with the industry standard of “12:00 day one for day two”, you’ll note that this means you take the risks 24 hours earlier than before.
How Customs Support Group can help you avoid fees
Providing expert import customs clearance in Felixstowe, CSG can help you avoid charges in multiple ways:
A focus on timely import clearance
CSG doesn’t coordinate the whole import process, so customs isn’t just a step in the process for us. We focus on just your clearance without being distracted by carrier releases, checking House Bills of Lading, and other documentation.
Proactive preparation with mirror clearances from the EU
Alongside our colleagues in the EU, we provide end-to-end customs clearance – whereby your import clearance is populated at the same time as the export clearance in the EU. This means that your declaration is prepared well ahead of arrival at the border.
Almost-guaranteed release with simplified clearances
Authorised for Simplified Customs Declaration Processes (SCDP), Customs Support Group can complete your declarations with a smaller dataset whilst you wait for complete information. This allows you to avoid delays at the border and complete your import clearance at a later date.
As a bonus, all of your simplified clearances are reconciled with one additional declaration, providing you with a simple overview and single tax bill.
Need an efficient customs partner in Felixstowe?
CSG is here for you. Providing a full suite of customs and trade solutions, we work to keep your goods moving through the border without delay, in a compliant manner, and without overspending on customs labour and tax. Contact us for more information.
