Tuesday, 1 December was Brexit Action Day. On this day in Dutch ports, flyers have been handed out to HGV drivers carrying cargo to and from British ports. From this day forward, Rijkswaterstaat will be displaying the Get Ready for Brexit message on matrix signs above motorways leading to the ports.
The joint campaign is aimed at reminding drivers and their customers of the changes that they can expect in the Dutch ports on 1 January 2021 as a result of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union. From that date onwards, customs documents will always need to have been pre-announced digitally at the shortsea and ferry terminals through Portbase’s Port Community System. Failure to do so will mean the driver will not be admitted to the terminals. This procedure applies to all ferry and shortsea terminals. The aim is to ensure freight continues to pass smoothly through Dutch ports, even after the Brexit transition period expires on 31 December.
Port of Rotterdam Authority, Customs, Rijkswaterstaat and Portbase – four of the 29 organisations taking part in the Get Ready for Brexit campaign (www.getreadyforbrexit.eu) – were guests at the DFDS ferry terminal on 1 December. Under the watchful eye of the big blue Brexit Monster, drivers were given information about what is going to change for them during their visits to the terminals after 1 January 2021. The flyer has been written in eight languages and it also shows which temporary parking space drivers have to drive to if their customs documents are not in order for Brexit. The port of Rotterdam has five buffer parking areas providing space for hundreds of trucks, and there is one temporary lorry park at the port of IJmuiden. All these temporary locations are enclosed by fencing and well lit with sanitary facilities and security. To minimise delays, a traffic circulation plan has also been drawn up for each ferry terminal.
