TRANSCO tests customs procedures with software from DAKOSY

The logistics company TRANSCO from Singen is a pilot user for the new customs procedure with Switzerland. Pre-registration for imports from Switzerland is mapped using customs software from DAKOSY. Goods shipments from Switzerland must be electronically registered with the German customs authority with a notification of presentation starting January 1, 2023.

(Hamburg/Singen) The logistics and transport company TRANSCO Süd, headquartered in Singen, specializes in the clearance of imports from Switzerland and is a pilot user for the new customs procedure at the main customs office in Singen. The customs software ZODIAK GE from DAKOSY was used for the successful tests. Affected are transports that cannot be cleared with a customs declaration prior to presentation or a continuous shipping procedure, among others.

The transitional period for the special regulation for imports from Switzerland, where a customs declaration without prior documentation was previously possible, expires on December 31, 2022. The reason: The regulation is no longer compliant with the Union Customs Code. Therefore, starting January 1, 2023, the electronic notification of presentation / summary declaration for imports from Switzerland to Germany will be mandatory. Julian Gräble, head of customs at TRANSCO, had already anticipated the new customs requirement early on: “We adapted our processes to the new procedure as early as possible. To secure our business with Switzerland, it was essential for us to integrate the mandatory pre-registration in time. This was also one of the triggers for why we decided on the customs software from DAKOSY in May 2022.”

Process optimizations until the end of the year

The customs software ZODIAK GE has had the function of the notification of presentation / summary declaration established as standard for a long time, as it has been required at seaports and airports for some time. “The timely introduction of the software has allowed us to test the application as a pilot user for the IHK Hochrhein-Bodensee at the main customs office in Singen,” emphasizes Gräble. Accordingly, he looks forward to the transition with calm. However, the time until the start will also be used efficiently in the pilot environment, Gräble reveals: “We will continue testing until the end of the year to be able to make process optimizations together with customs that will also take effect from January 1, 2023.”

The procedure must run smoothly from the start

The new procedure must run smoothly from the first minute. For the TRANSCO offices located at the border in Basel, Thayngen, Singen, and Konstanz, customs clearance for goods traffic between Germany and Switzerland is part of the core business. More than 30 customs declarants work daily to prepare the necessary export, import, and transit documents for cross-border traffic. “With the large volume, we need a powerful and reliable customs software that also aligns with our digitalization strategy,” explains Gräble, adding: “ZODIAK GE runs very stably, is clearly structured, and is designed with a strong focus on the future.”

Customs clearance to be largely automated from 2023

For the upcoming year, TRANSCO plans to largely automate customs clearance. The company intends to introduce new forwarding software, into which ZODIAK GE will be integrated. Through the BOX interface from DAKOSY, the data required for customs clearance will then be transferred from the forwarding system to ZODIAK GE, where the customs applications will be completed and sent to the customs authorities. The feedback from customs is also to be automatically transferred into the TRANSCO system via ZODIAK GE. “So far, we have only had good experiences with DAKOSY and are therefore looking forward to taking this step in digitalization together,” Gräble concludes.

Photo: © DAKOSY