Brexit to be challenging not only for logistics

For many suppliers and logistics specialists, it was obvious that Brexit would disrupt the continuity of trade, and its negative effects would affect both the United Kingdom and the countries of the European Union. Despite the conclusion of a free trade agreement between the EU and the United Kingdom, the free movement of goods between these markets has come to an end.

“Brexit results in customs, administrative and economic changes, and additional fees and duties have been imposed on shipments. We are all feeling the effects of Brexit right now. In this situation, the mission of our logisticians is to make these consequences as little as possible and noticeable for our customers and carriers,” Arkadiusz Glinka, director of product management at C.H. Robinson Europe, said.

The latest Transport Market Monitor (TMM) data show significantly lower capacity available on the European market – in December there was an approximately 16 percent decrease compared to the same month last year. Such a result should not surprise us, after all, we all remember the endless queues of trucks on the M20 road leading to the port of Dover before Christmas. This is the picture of Brexit, even before its official date, which was a harbinger of difficulties in transport across the EU-UK border.

Port congestion, while quite spectacular, is not the biggest Brexit problem. One of them is the documentation requirements. In fact, cross-border transport has changed from a typical operation for domestic traffic to a much more complex operation similar to the transport of goods from the EU to Japan or Canada.

“Brexit is one of the most demanding challenges faced by the logistics industry in recent years. We are aware of the great importance of ensuring the continuity of our customers' supply chain. Therefore, as C.H. Robinson we prepared for a long time for this difficult time after Great Britain left the European Union. By combining the knowledge and experience of the best logistics specialists with modern technology, we ensure maximum smoothness of deliveries,” Arkadiusz Glinka commented.

(WBJ)