The UK shippers and forwarders are facing another challenge while preparing for Brexit. It is reported that the Smart Freight System will not be able to meet its deadline on January 1. This means the new freight transport system will not be ready when the UK’s transition period with the EU ends.
The Smart Freight System will be pivotal for documentations checks. It will ensure that trucks are carrying all the necessary documents before they travel to ports. Also, the system will reduce delays at ports and ensure better management.
Elizabeth de Jong, director of policy at Logistics UK, told the media, “News that the government’s much anticipated SMART Freight system is unlikely to be ready by the end of the year, with the beta version only anticipated for launch in mid-December, is a crushing disappointment for the logistics sector.”
In fact, Logistics UK and other freight companies have suggested that new systems need to be tested before implementing them on the back of the ongoing Brexit process. “Businesses which will depend on the system to ensure the continued flow of goods and services to the EU were already working to very short deadlines if the Smart Freight system was to be tested and operational by the end of the year,” she said.