Recent truck congestion at London Heathrow’s Cargo Terminal underscores the pressing need for a universal advance information system that will alert handling agents to arriving vehicles, and speed up their processing.
This is the key message that will be delivered in a series of road shows being organised around the UK in early 2018, by CCS-UK User Group – the body which manages, and commissions enhancements to, the CCS-UK community system.
In addition to setting out the problem, CCS-UK User Group will also update delegates on progress with its Advance Information project. This new function will enable freight agents, and transport companies working on their behalf, to pre-alert handling agents of loads being delivered or collected as well as providing the ability to submit electronic Security Declarations (eCSD).
The advance information – including vehicle, driver, cargo being delivered, handling agent and ETA – will be submitted either through a web portal (for smaller, occasional users), or (in the case of larger and more frequent users) messages sent direct from the forwarder’s own system. The information will then be accessible to all relevant parties in the supply chain. Deliveries to multiple shed operators will be automatically split by the system, and only data applicable to each handler will be seen by them.
Agents using the system should benefit from pre-allocated truck doors and reduced queuing. Handling agents meanwhile will receive cargo information direct into their systems, so eliminating re-keying, speeding up vehicle processing and enabling more efficient use of their resources.
CCS-UK User Group had proposed its solution to Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) following the latter’s recent Request for Proposals for a Call Forward System. Although HAL subsequently decided not to proceed with this, the CCS-UK User Group believes in the benefits of its own proposed approach and is therefore continuing with its Advance Information project. This will be available at all UK airports and will be free of charge.
