A cross-border clearing service that reduces border delays and cuts transit time and corruption is gaining traction in the trucking industry. “It’s a win-win situation for the cargo owner and the transporter,” says Broughton Amiss Consulting (BAC) managing director Broughton Amiss who saw a gap in the market and launched the service three years ago. He has since seen exponential growth in volumes. “With the advent of customs modernisation, we can preclear the cargo before it reaches the border and provide the trucker with a point to point service on one invoice. Effectively a one-stop service, which is what the industry wants.” Depending on the number of
borders to destination, a truck driver could require three different currencies and have to wait at each border for the entry to be completed. “Through preclearance, a five-day journey to Namibia can be reduced to just three days,” says Amiss, “and that means a truck is able to do more trips – allowing the transporter to sweat the asset and to do another load – and that’s the value we bring.” BAC is not in the business of owning trucks but rather facilitating speedy transit. And through relationships with crossborder agents, the system is further streamlined. “We can forward export entries to border agents who will preclear into the next country, and at final destination we have relationships with other agents. The success we have achieved is by offering a service that no-one else offers. We do an entire solution for the customer and he gets one manifest.” Through the use of smart technology, entries can be framed while the truck is in transit to the border. “We ask our partners to print the entry and give it to the driver, who then crosses the border without delays.” Statistics tell the growth story. “In 2015 we did 2000 road entries, last year this had doubled and this year we’re expecting to reach 8000.” Amiss launched the company 18 years ago as a customs bond store facility for retail stores at OR Tambo. This has morphed into a onestop solution offering collection, transport and delivery to the bond store – all on a single invoice. “In the logistics game there are always multiple people. The one-invoice solution has been a game changer,” says Amiss.
Through preclearance, a five-day journey to Namibia can be reduced to just three days. – Broughton Amiss
