Knowledge base

Botched customs, and a crew that waits. How we prevent it

One missing document can stop a project and a crew of a dozen people. We show how thinking about the whole process protects the budget.

On project deliveries, customs is not a formality at the end, it is the point where time and money are easiest to lose. If a GB import document or the GMR is missing, the goods stop at the border, and the crew that has already arrived on site waits idle. The client pays for it.

Typical traps

GB import documents delivered too late or incomplete.
The GMR not prepared before reaching the border.
No agreement on who supplies what between sender and carrier.

How we work

We have our own customs agencies in Poland and the UK, so we run clearance as part of the transport, not a separate problem. We set the document list and who supplies it well ahead, prepare the GMR and make sure nothing stops at the border. When a crew and a tight deadline are involved, we plan with a margin and advise the client what to do earlier. We treat it as our own project.

See customs clearance and transport to the UK.

Related service: Customs

Frequently asked questions

Who supplies the GB import documents, the sender or the carrier?

The GB import documents come from the sender or client, because they concern their goods and their settlements. The carrier creates the GMR based on them. A typical trap is no agreement on who supplies what, so the document list and responsibilities are set before departure, not on the road.

Can the GMR be sorted out only at the border?

That is a bad plan. The GMR should be ready before the truck reaches the crossing, because without it the driver will not be processed and the vehicle stands. On a project delivery every hour of standing means a waiting crew and a shifted schedule. OTSL prepares the GMR in advance, as part of the transport.

How does a project delivery differ from ordinary transport when it comes to customs?

In what is at stake. On an ordinary delivery a border delay shifts the unloading. On a project, a build crew is already waiting on site and a tight schedule is running, so the cost of every hour multiplies. That is why projects are planned with a margin, the document set is closed earlier and customs is managed as part of the project.

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