Importer Gets a Green Light For Faster Customs Clearance

The Challenge

• Reduce time spent clearing customs for large volumes
• Ensure complete, accurate information for authorities
• Minimize need for container examinations 

 The Solution

• Traxens Smart Containers and data analysis

The Results

• Reduces time spent in customs clearance by up to one day
• Minimized excess warehousing and storage costs
• Accelerated time to market for products

Minimizing Obstacles

A European company regularly imports multiple containers of capital goods products, which often required several days to clear customs. The importer is careful to ensure that all paperwork is complete and accurately reflects the containers and their specific contents, so it rarely encounters any unexpected examinations. However, a large number of containers to be cleared meant that some were briefly warehoused while waiting. The importer wanted to accelerate clearance in order to reduce warehousing costs and speed the products to market.

A Smart Solution

Using Traxens smart containers and data capabilities, the importer can continuously collect location, temperature, humidity, and other data during shipment. Data from the Traxens smart container is automatically sent over global cell links to Traxens for analysis and reporting. The importer can track real-time progress via web browser and be notified when the vessel is within 48 hours of port. 

Getting the Green Lane

The importer now files all required documents electronically prior to the shipment arriving in port. Data from the Traxens smart containers verifies departure, route, and voyage times. When shipments are unloaded, they are given clearance priority through a green lane. In some cases, the customs authorities clear the shipment even before it arrives in port. 

Smart containers also can notify the importer when a container door is unexpectedly opened or the container experiences shock or vibration. If these situations occur, the affected container can immediately be pulled aside for inspection without hindering other containers passing through customs. The importer has reduced the time spent in customs clearance by an average of one day, which also reduced storage costs. Shipments are on their way to market faster, and the entire supply chain works smoothly—as it should.