Joint effort to deliver express freight faster

18 June 2013

Joint effort to deliver express freight faster

Customs, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and the Conference of Asia Pacific Express Carriers (CAPEC) have teamed up for greater efficiency, cost effectiveness, improved border security, and quicker turnaround of express freight packages.

Together they have implemented new procedures whereby Customs and MPI now inspect CAPEC consignments at one site within a target time frame of four hours. Customs’ clearance times have been significantly reduced. The changes will also reduce costs for both the importer and agencies.

“Border agencies play a critical role in protecting New Zealand and appreciate that, while maintaining security, we are part of a supply chain and need to keep pace and deliver to fast freight industry requirements,” says Customs Manager Northern Ports, Eddie Kohlhase.

“Customs wanted to make a significant change to service delivery and turnaround times, and this was done with the industry’s input. The new arrangement gives better flow and structure, providing greater certainty to our express freight partners.”

CAPEC members will now send both agencies a pre-notification for consignments that need to be cleared. Upon confirmation, they will drop-off the consignments to Customs’ Air Cargo Inspection Facility (ACIF) for inspection.

“The procedure allows us to plan, risk assess, and process legitimate consignments faster. Freight companies will be quickly notified if any package needs to be held for further investigation, and kept informed of the consignment’s status,” Mr Kohlhase says.

MPI has also started conducting biosecurity inspection at Customs’ ACIF site as part of the agencies’ efforts to work together and deliver a better coordinated service to industry partners.

Stu Rawnsley, MPI Cargo Manager, Northern Region, says the initiative for joint inspection ticks a lot of boxes for the agencies and their customers.

“Streamlining is an important objective under the Future Directions programme of work – it makes sense for us to do inspections at the same place, at the same time. This is the first step in a number of potential improvements that MPI and Customs intend to make in the way that they work together.”

When CAPEC met with Customs, collaboration was at the top of the agenda. CAPEC members say that the simple changes will make the clearance process more effective and they are expecting positive results.

This is a first step in working together to reduce clearance times in the express industry. The changes will have benefits for the agencies, CAPEC and, most importantly, the customers. CAPEC represents TNT, DHL, FedEx and UPS.

The New Zealand Customs Service is the government organisation that protects the community from potential risks arising from international trade and travel, while facilitating the legitimate movement of people and goods across the border. Established in 1840, it is New Zealand’s oldest government agency.

As New Zealand's gatekeepers our role includes intercepting contraband (such as illegal drugs); checking travellers and their baggage cargo and mail; protecting businesses against illegal trade; and assessing and collecting Customs duties, excise, and goods and services tax on imports. We use intelligence and risk assessment to target physical checks of containers, vessels or travellers. As a law enforcement agency we conduct investigations and audits, and prosecute offenders.

Customs works closely with other border agencies, in particular the NZ Police, Aviation Security, Environmental Science & Research and Immigration New Zealand.

More information about Customs can be found on our website: www.customs.govt.nz

ENDS

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