For those who ship internationally, Brexit may have you scratching your head wondering what it means for your business. No matter how efficient the U.K.’s borders might get, the extra barrier becomes an extra stop. It disrupts a streamlined supply chain increasing cost and time. Following is a quick read to help you sort out what you need to know and plan for in the coming months.
Trade volume
The instability and uncertainty of Britain’s trade agreements may lead to a decrease in the volume of shipments in and out of the U.K. Flows of goods, when possible, will avoid the extra stop and reroute through the E.U.
The U.K. is re-establishing itself in the global market and working to forge new alliances and agreements. This will have an impact on trade volume and only time will tell if the impact is overall negative or positive. But for now, it is simply one more stop along the route, potentially causing delays and increasing costs. Netherlands, Germany and France may become the more logistical platforms for global shipping.
Border control and customs
The ever-changing rules and regulations can cause great consternation. Because of Brexit, there is a possibility that logistics and supply chains may face additional custom regulations. Delays or rejections at the U.K. and E.U. borders have the potential of creating supply chain gaps.
According to an article in Transport Topics, shipping companies along the border are preparing with increased staff, parking, and warehouse storage, while still anticipating a period of chaos. With this great deal of uncertainty, there will likely be an increase in cost for U.K. bound goods to account for the labor and time caused by additional inspections along the new border.
Conclusion
Plan for cost and time increases. In the beginning, there are sure to be a few hiccups. But time will tell whether or not the U.K. will adjust.
Still uncertain? Contact customerforward@clearfreight.com today and one of our friendly consultants will be glad to answer any questions you have!
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