Gateway Systems’ ABC Solution Aids Importers
Gateway Systems Limited’s Automated Bermuda Customs [ABC] solution helps commercial importers avoid the recently announced H.M. Customs’ fee for manual data input of Bermuda Customs Declarations [BCDs] not submitted electronically, the company said.
On May 9 of this year, H.M. Customs declared their intent to charge for manual BCD processing, saying, “Government announced today that the Customs Department will levy a manual data inputting fee if the declaration is submitted on paper. That fee will be charged to the declarant at a rate of $0.60 per record on each Bermuda Customs Declaration [BCD] submitted.”
Danny Dunlop, Senior Account Manager with Gateway Systems Limited, said, “This charge will have a financial impact on all of Bermuda’s commercial importers who still use manual BCD’s and do not interface directly with H.M. Customs’ CAPS system.
“Using a system that directly inputs BCD’s into CAPS will avoid this new charge that H.M. Customs has had to levy to help pay for the data entry required to release goods to importers. It also makes turnaround quicker and more efficient, and in today’s world where everyone has to do more with less – it really is the obvious route to take.”
A spokesperson said, “The ABC System integrates directly with H.M. Customs’ CAPS application and saves significant time and effort for both the importer and HM Customs’ staff. The system can be customized to take the information on arriving goods straight from relevant points in the ordering process, eliminating duplication of entry and errors.
“The Bermuda Customs Declaration is essentially ready as soon as the goods are ordered, and only dynamic data on the physical shipment needs to be entered, to allow the form to be instantly transmitted to H.M. Customs.
“When the release note is received, it can automatically be sent on to Stevedoring Services to advise them that the container has been released, and it will automatically advise when the relevant container is ready for pickup. There is little human intervention in the whole process.”
Kevin Luckham, Director of Software Services at Gateway and the main architect and developer of ABC, said, “This system has matured over the fifteen [15] years since it was first developed and it is now used by nearly all of the leading importers in Bermuda.
“There is also an option for clients to use our Software-as-a-Service platform to access ABC over the Internet, and store their BCD’s on Gateway’s Cloud servers.
“That way, smaller clients do not have to purchase their own computer servers to use ABC. This makes clearance of goods so much simpler and quicker. No more daily trips to the Hamilton Long Room, and of course no new fee for manual submission.”
“The list of ABC customers is extensive, and Gateway would be happy to provide references upon request.”
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