Unique customs clearance eases the export to Norway
Hirtshals company has cracked the code to complex Norwegian customs requirements
Color Line Cargo in Hirtshals has developed an IT solution, that makes it much easier for carriers to export goods to Norway. Among other things, the solution was created after the centralization of customs tasks at the office in Hirtshals and has led to significant growth in both customers and employees in the North Jutland port.
It is a complicated affair to clear customs between Denmark and Norway due to Norway's very restrictive customs barriers. But Color Line Cargo in Hirtshals has developed a unique system that can handle precisely the customs forwarding of goods between the EU and Norway. The IT solution has become much easier for transporters to handle the difficult customs and thus provides a smooth border crossing for customers.
- There is traditionally a lot of waiting time in Norway when goods must enter the country, because it is not an EU country. And as you know, time is money. Therefore, it is crucial that you as a carrier do not stand still more than necessary. With our customs solutions, we have developed a system that can handle customs clearance quickly and efficiently, so that the paperwork is done in advance when the lorries must cross the Norwegian border, explains Allan Rishøj, freight manager at Color Line Cargo.
Color Line Cargo has worked on the development of the digital customs solutions over the past four years and, in the wake of the effort, has brought together all Norwegian customs processing in Hirtshals with the ambition of creating a more streamlined and efficient freight forwarding business. Competences and specialist knowledge about the complex Norwegian customs area are thus gathered in the North Jutland port, which is sometimes referred to as Norway's southernmost port.
- It is crucial for carriers that customs clearance can take place as quickly and painlessly as possible, and in Hirtshals we can offer a unique solution compared to Norway, which helps us to be attractive, both for customers and for employees within the customs area, says Per Holm Nørgaard, CEO at Port of Hirtshals.
The cargo volume for Color Line Cargo has increased by 15 percent during 2022 compared to the same period in 2019.
- We are of course very happy to see the results of our investments in the development of the system, which has, among other things, led to a doubling of employees in Hirtshals, where we currently have 42 employees compared to around 20 just four years ago. The increase relates almost exclusively to a massively increasing demand for our solutions for exports to Norway, says Allan Rishøj and adds:
- The customs area is still an area of development for us, as both the EU and Norway are in the process of implementing new customs legislation, which will also place greater demands on us as a supplier. We are therefore already investing in the future by training our own customs brokers. We currently have six apprentices, and we are continuously taking in new ones, as we can see that the need is only getting bigger.
The strategy will be continued in the coming years, when the customs business will be expanded further, for example on the German market, just as existing and potential customers are demanding a similar solution for Great Britain after Brexit.
-Both Germany and Great Britain are undoubtedly interesting markets for us. In general, customs clearance is an important part of Color Line Cargo's overall strategy, because we can offer our customers something else and more than transport from A to B, says Allan Rishøj.