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CEVA streamlines customs clearance process in Brazil using locals

CEVA Logistics, the Dutch express delivery giant, has a new strategy to expedite customs clearance for the imports and exports in Brazil, reports New York's Air Cargo News.

"We have specific customs expertise in Sao Paulo and Campinas, which allows us to focus on the technical and operational phases of the customs clearance process," said Rubio Guimaraes, CEVA's customs clearance director in Brazil.

By integrating various cross-functional teams including customer service, technical support and customs specialists, CEVA aims to reduce the number of parcels held up in Brazilian customs with an increased reliance on local branch offices.

Every month CEVA carries out 3,000 customs clearance processes in Brazil, 800 of which move through Sao Paulo's Viracopos Airport.

CEVA said that by relying on local branch offices to handle customs, it was able to increase the efficiency of its customs processes at Viracopos by 67 per cent in 2015.

Citing such issues as improper documentation and constantly changing requirements, CEVA claims that local branch offices are best-equipped to handle the regulatory hurdles associated with Brazilian customs.

Packages seized by customs face strict clearance deadlines and risk being destroyed or auctioned off by the state if the deadline lapses.

Time zone variances between Europe and Asia-based teams and Brazil often hinder the turnaround time in the event that additional documentation is needed.