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This month in 60 seconds…
Shipping routes continue to evolve…
More vessels are avoiding the traditional Suez- Red Sea corridors altogether due to the risks. Major carriers have rerouted some services away utilising the Cape of Good Hope around Southern Africa. This adds roughly 3,500 – 4,000 nautical miles and 10-14 additional sailing days. Traffic through Hormuz is becoming more controlled and selective rather than a complete shutdown. Traffic is far below normal levels and there is a still caution. Shipping routes are not simply shifting away from the Strait, a more flexible network, combining selective Hormuz transits and much heavier use of the Cape of Good Hope when security deteriorates.
Customs Compliance remains critical…
Our expert advice Jeff Gunn ITAR Consultant: Review your CDS entries…
ECJU’s latest Notice to Exporters (2026/13) The update introduces a requirement for exporters using OGELs and GEAs to enter their licence reference in Data Element 2/3 Box 44 of the Customs Declaration System (CDS). This isn’t a suggestion or a best‑practice reminder; it is being written directly into the licence conditions themselves.
The obligation becomes auditable, and evidence of correct CDS entries will be expected during an ECJU site visit. For logistics providers and their customers, this is the moment to check how declarations are being handled.
The legal responsibility remains with the exporter, not the agent.
Air freight demand is increasing…
The impact on airfreight demand is noticeable but the effect is uneven across industries and routes. When ocean freight becomes slower or less predictable, higher value and time sensitive cargo such as electronics, automotive and aerospace components, pharmaceuticals are more likely to be shifted to air. The strongest demand shifts tend to occur on Asia – Europe, Asia – Middle East and Europe – Gulf. While this is potentially temporary, this will affect availability and cost as the risk factors also affect airfreight transportation.
New tachograph requirements for the EU from July 2026…
From 1 July 2026, vans and light commercial vehicles (LCVs) with weights of 2.5 to 3.5 tonnes that are used for international commercial freight transport or cabotage must be fitted with a second-generation smart tachograph (known as Smart Tachograph 2 or G2V2).
Until now, tachograph requirements only applied to vehicles over 3.5 tonnes. From this summer, the threshold drops to 2.5 tonnes for cross-border commercial operations. The drivers of these vehicles will also become subject to the same driving time and rest period rules that currently apply to HGV drivers under EU Regulation 561/2006.
The new rules apply to vehicles that meet all three of the following criteria:
- Vehicle weight: The van (or van-and-trailer combination) has a gross vehicle weight / MAM exceeding 2.5 tonnes.
- International transport: The vehicle is being used for cross-border freight transport between countries, or for cabotage (domestic transport within another country by a non-resident operator).
- Commercial carriage: The goods are being carried for hire or reward — meaning someone is paying for the transport service.
It is not the vehicle class itself, but the commercial purpose and type of transport operation that indicate the need for a tachograph.
A Small Box, a Big Obligation: New Rules for OGEL and GEA Users
By Jeff Gunn PCQI MIExCP Export Control, ITAR Consultant
Some regulatory updates arrive with fanfare. Others adjust a single field in a system and, almost overnight, create a compliance gap that many operators won’t spot until it’s too late. ECJU’s latest Notice to Exporters (2026/13) sits firmly in the second category.
The update introduces a requirement for exporters using OGELs and GEAs to enter their licence reference in Data Element 2/3 Box 44 of the Customs Declaration System (CDS). This isn’t a suggestion or a best‑practice reminder; it is being written directly into the licence conditions themselves. As those amended licences are released, the obligation becomes auditable, and evidence of correct CDS entries will be expected during an ECJU site visit.
For logistics providers and their customers, this is the moment to check how declarations are being handled. Exporters must supply the correct licence reference and make sure their forwarder or agent is instructed to enter it. If the reference is missed, it can be corrected before clearance, but once the shipment has cleared, a C1700 amendment will be required. Either way, the legal responsibility remains with the exporter, not the agent. Where a forwarder submits declarations on a customer’s behalf, it is sensible to request the export entry reference or, better still, a copy of the CDS declaration. This provides both assurance that the licence reference has been entered correctly and a record that can be held as evidence of licence use.
There is, however, a longer‑term benefit. Once this requirement is fully implemented across the relevant licences, CDS will be able to record licence usage automatically against the exporter’s registration. When ECJU confirms that the system is ready, this should remove the need for exporters to manually report licence usage in their annual returns. ECJU will notify users through the NTE system when that functionality is live and which licences it applies to.
Single Trade Window shelved?…
The STW has been shelved, according to the FT.
The UK’s planned Single Trade Window (STW), a digital platform designed to allow traders to submit all customs and regulatory documentation through a single entry point, has effectively stalled.
Freedom of Information disclosures reveal that no new funding has been allocated since January, no HMRC staff are currently assigned to the project, and delivery contracts have been closed. Originally proposed under the government’s 2020 Border Strategy, the programme has since been paused through 2025 to 2026.
While ministers maintain they remain committed to the concept, the lack of active development raises concerns. Industry experts continue to stress that a fully implemented STW would streamline border processes, reduce administrative burdens, and support end-to-end digitalisation of supply chains, making its delay a missed opportunity for UK trade efficiency.
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