Easy Clear will soon release new functionality that will enable its clients to integrate with the Botswana Revenue Authority (Burs), according to sales manager Michael Henning.Speaking to Freight News, Henning explained that this integration aided in the submission of import declarations in Botswana – also known as assessments.“This will mean that Easy Clear now caters for all integrated declarations in Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Eswatini (BLNE), significantly reducing the risk of human error and increasing productivity through an improved and integrated process f low.”According to Henning, congestion at ports of entry remains a major challenge and any effort to reduce the pressure whilst integrating workf lows must be welcomed.“The stark reality of congestion at our ports of entry for numerous reasons, coupled with the alarming volume of road freight, compounds issues and the resultant rise in criminal activity targeting waiting drivers is a challenge for anyone in the supply chain, while damage to, and loss of goods through theft, is of particular concern.”Addressing challenges becomes crucial says Henning in light of expected growth in the cross-border logistics industry. “Experts are looking at a 4% forecasted growth for cross border logistics driven by innovation in transport management systems and implementation of time slot management applications, some of which we have recently seen being piloted at our local ports, albeit with less than desirable outcomes.”Developments such as autonomous vehicles and exponential growth in last-mile delivery supported by autonomous robots and drones for home delivery, which is already making news in places like the United Kingdom (UK), are also impacting the sector and are set to drive growth even though it may be several years before this becomes a reality locally.Henning says the need for smart integrated solutions that enable faster communication and improved efficiencies within organisations will be crucial going forward. “It creates opportunities to improve operations. “There is certainly an increase in cross-border volumes, driven by a surge in e-commerce and a higher-than-usual demand for commodities such as coal that is fetching higher international prices. “With this in mind, the focus will be on operational efficiency more than ever before and the way to achieve it is through technology.”Another example of such a solution is Easy Clear’s integration with GateTrack, a module that allows users to track a vehicle (or vessel) along with all the customs entries on that vehicle. “This is done with live status updates from both the clearance files as well as the manifest and SADCs, that can be displayed in order of use.”
