95% of all export documents in port of Rotterdam now digital

The port of Rotterdam is erasing another paper flow. Container terminals can henceforth also release the Customs documents for outgoing transit containers (NCTS) electronically at Customs. The Port Community System from Portbase offers the new service Clearance NCTS Export Containers for this purpose. The move will make the port of Rotterdam even smarter. Taken together with previous developments, 95 percent of Customs documents relating to export containers can now be handled digitally in Rotterdam.

The service Clearance NCTS Export Containers has benefits for other parties too. Road hauliers no longer need to make a stop at the terminal to hand over documents. These papers are similarly no longer needed at the terminal for inland shipping and rail containers. All exporters and forwarders have to do is electronically pre-notify the documents using the Portbase service Notification Export Documentation. When the container arrives at the terminal, the document will then be automatically released. As a result, mismatches become a thing of the past and later problems with Customs are avoided.

Rotterdam World Gateway (RWG) on Maasvlakte 2 is the first container terminal to actually start using the new service.

Public Affairs & Communications Manager Niels Dekker: “For RWG, the service Clearance NCTS Export Containers is an important next step in achieving a Customs-free terminal. In this way, we are also establishing efficient and reliable handling for this flow.”

The service Clearance NCTS Export Containers is part of Portbase’s export service. Container terminals that want to use the service require an Authorised Consignee permit from Customs.