www.bifa.org


Robert Keen’s Column


BIFAlink


BIFAlink is the official magazine of the British International Freight Association Redfern House, Browells Lane, Feltham TW13 7EP Tel: 020 8844 2266 Web site: www.bifa.org E-mail: bifa@bifa.org (A company limited by guarantee. Registered in England: 391973. VAT Registration: 216476363)


Director General Robert Keen r.keen@bifa.org Executive Director Robert Windsor r.windsor@bifa.org Executive Director Spencer Stevenson s.stevenson@bifa.org Executive Director Carl Hobbis c.hobbis@bifa.org Policy & Compliance Advisor Pawel Jarza p.jarza@bifa.org Policy & Compliance Advisor David Stroud d.stroud@bifa.org Editorial Co-ordinator Sharon Hammond s.hammond@bifa.org


Published by Park Lane Publishing peter@parklanepublishingltd.com Contributors Robert Keen, Robert Windsor, Pawel Jarza, David Stroud, Spencer Stevenson, Carl Hobbis, Sharon Hammond


Customs complexities receive acknowledgment at last


I think I have written the following anecdote a few years ago in BIFAlink, so apologies if you have heard it before, but when in my mid-20s working as an entry clerk and venturing onto the property ladder, I was amazed at the cost of conveyancing. It struck me that if a solicitor completed a Customs declaration, the cost would be hundreds of pounds more than my employer charged. An informal discussion on licensing of the sector has always been part of office chit chat, but with EU Exit there has been greater recognition that the preparation of a Customs declaration is more than “form filling”, which was the media term used to describe the activity a couple of years ago. It is now quite common in media articles about the post-Brexit landscape to hear the words “complex Customs paperwork”.


So, you may be interested in the article on page 18 written by my colleague Robert Windsor, about a


consultation that government is conducting regarding how a tax advisor is defined and whether any forwarder activities might be in scope. BIFA will be guided in its response by the relevant policy groups but if you make an individual submission, please copy us in on your contribution. One word of warning. There was a prior consultation that closed last year which appears first on the Gov.UK web site, so you have to look closely for the current consultation. It was no surprise to read a recent publication from shipping consultant Drewry, headed “The container


shipping market has never been so hot”, predicting that in 2021 global shipping will smash last year’s record profits and that this may also happen in 2022. The other interesting prediction was that port congestion and container equipment shortages will remain a feature throughout most of 2021, leading to further restricted availability of capacity, which may lead to substantially higher average spot and contract freight rates. Combine this with the recent Suez Canal blockage and it is obvious that shipping chaos is not going away quickly. The General Average declaration on the Ever Given gave us a spike of calls in April and you will note we have written about GA routines in this edition of BIFAlink. In 2014, the BIFA Legal policy group heard a presentation from insurer Swiss Re which predicted that sooner or later there would be a maritime incident with an ultra large container vessel that would take years to sort out. At the time of writing, media reports indicated that the ship would not be going anywhere soon. Turning to the next generation of freight forwarders, I urge you to read the article on page 6. It describes


BIFA’s latest initiative to promote freight forwarding as a career and engage with youngsters in schools. We all know how rewarding a career in freight forwarding can be and BIFA Members that have helped at school careers nights will know that TV and media is often foremost in the minds of many students. This and other more glamorous careers can shunt ‘box shifting’ to one side. Logistics has had more than its share of fame in the past year with successes in keeping supply chains moving and it would be great if BIFA Members would be willing to assist us in this venture to market our sector as a career for school leavers. Lastly, we recently discovered a short film on the BIMCO website called “Ships make the World go”. At just


Note to media: If you wish to use items in this magazine that are older than 1 month, please contact the editor to ensure that the item in question still reflects the current circumstances.


Please be advised that BIFA DOES NOT OFFER LEGAL ADVICE. BIFA is not a law firm and the authors of this publication are not legally qualified and do not have any legal training. The guidance and assistance set out herein are based on BIFA’s own experience with the issues concerned and should not be in any circumstances regarded or relied upon as legal advice. It is strongly recommended that anyone considering further action based on the information contained in this publication should seek the advice of a qualified professional.


over two minutes, it is designed to raise awareness about the crucial role that shipping plays in everyone’s lives, in societies and for businesses. It is well worth getting younger staff to watch and a worthwhile addition to any induction material for new starters to the industry. You can find the film at this URL: www.bimco.org/news-and-trends/multimedia/ships-make-the-world-go


Robert Keen Director General


May 2021


3


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24