Author: Gareth Colwell

From September 2022, HMRC’s CHIEF (Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight) platform will be wound down and replaced by the CDS (Customs Declaration Service). Portico’s experienced customs agency team are ready to help you with the migration. CDS has been developed over several years, in consultation with the border industry. The ambition is to provide a more secure and stable platform that has the capacity to grow, taking account of the increase in declarations following the UK’s departure from the European...

By Gareth Colwell

Portico's managing director Steve Williams has celebrated the MBE he was awarded in the Queen’s Covid-19 honours for outstanding services during the pandemic, at a royal garden party  on 11 May 2022 attended by HRH The Duchess of Cornwall. From the outset, when the government announced a lockdown, Portico’s managing director Steve Williams, made the decision to stay in Portsmouth and oversee operations at the UK’s major fresh produce port, 200 miles away from his family in Grimsby, Lincolnshire. He remained solely...

By Gareth Colwell

Portico, the international cargo terminal based at Portsmouth International Port, have taken delivery of a Sennebogen material handler, which will allow them to handle an even wider range of cargoes. Portico's successful diversification programme has reduced their reliance on specific cargoes, and has seen a 21% increase in vehicle movements at the international cargo terminal since 2018.  To continue this momentum, they are continuing to invest in new equipment that can handle different commodities. The most recent addition to their fleet of...

By Gareth Colwell

Portico, Portsmouth's international cargo terminal, welcomes new board members Camilla Carlbom Flinn and Justin Atkin, following a reorganisation of the company's governance structure. Camilla and Justin boast extensive shipping knowledge, holding senior leadership roles in the industry. Steve Williams, Managing Director of Portico said: "I'm delighted that Camilla and Justin have joined the board as we look to diversify our operations. "They bring a wealth of industry experience and will provide insight to support ambitions as we grow and develop the company. Shipping is going...

By Gareth Colwell

Across the freight industry, the modal shift trend has seen businesses look at their supply chains, to see how they can make them quicker, more resilient, and even greener. Matt Green, key account manager at Portico, explains what this means for the shipping industry and your business. Across the freight industry, there has been much talk of ‘modal shift’. In essence, modal shift means a change from one form of transportation to another and is an important element of the discussion...

By Gareth Colwell

Portico has covered the shipping and customs clearance cost of a container of fire fighting equipment bound for Ghana, to help firefighter Storms Menri and charity FIRE AID get essential safety gear to where it is desperately needed. The container of firefighting kit, including essential PPE, radio equipment, hoses, smoke alarms, breathing apparatus sets and cutting gear, were loaded at Portico's terminal this week. It is now aboard an Africa Express Lines vessel, bound for Ghana. This donation is down to the efforts of...

By Gareth Colwell

Portico, the international cargo terminal and customs agency based at Portsmouth International Port, has successfully renewed its Lloyds Register (LR) ISO9001:2015 certification for the next five years. The business underwent a detailed audit, completed by LR, in accordance with the internationally recognised standard ISO 9001:2015 and approval was successfully secured for the next five years. This standard is based on a number of quality management principles including a strong customer focus, the motivation and focus of top management, the process approach and...

By Gareth Colwell

Portico has secured a long-term lease with leading independent aggregates company Brett Group, to operate an aggregate terminal at the port, bringing a major employer to Portsmouth, Hampshire. Following planning approval (Wednesday 12 January), a new low-level marine aggregates terminal will be built on site, providing a source of construction materials close to where it is needed in Portsmouth and the surrounding area. This will help meet local demand for materials while lowering emissions  due to reduced road mileage delivering to nearby development projects. This...

By Gareth Colwell

Despite the challenges of the pandemic, Portico in Portsmouth has recorded a 21% increase in vehicle movements at the international cargo terminal since 2018. The increase in the number of vehicles at Portico has been driven by a successful diversification programme at the terminal, reducing their reliance on specific cargoes by investing in new equipment that can handle a wide range of commodities. Investment in automation has also reduced the time needed to process vehicles arriving on-site. For example, in November last...

By Gareth Colwell

With just a fortnight to go, a third of UK importers are not ready for full Brexit customs checks. We've already helped businesses across the country with new UK-EU trade rules, so are ready and able to help those struggling with the incoming arrangements. According to a recent survey carried out by the Institute of Directors, three in 10 of the leaders of firms that import from the EU polled said they were not at all prepared for the changes, with 37% of...

By Gareth Colwell