Port of Antwerp to handle reefer goods faster

The General Administration of Customs & Excise and the Federal Agency for Safety of the Food Chain have introduced an integrated procedure in the Border Inspection Post and due to this centralisation of inspections, refrigerated goods will be able to transit through the port of Antwerp more quickly and efficiently.

According to the Port Authority, declarants will not only make time savings but will also gain in operational security enabling transport to be planned and carried out in a more efficient and reliable way, ultimately reducing the overall logistics cost. The one-stop operation of the Border Inspection Post on the left bank is only the first step in a wider set-up that affords gains in efficiency for all perishables handled in the port of Antwerp, particularly non-animal produce such as fruit and vegetables.

Customs & Excise and the Federal Agency for Food Safety share the same location in the Border Inspection Post and having combined inspections at a single location avoids multiple stops and hours of waiting. A further important advantage of this arrangement is that it centralises not only the inspections but also the full administrative processing of perishables, for customs and for food safety.