Rules for delivering partial shipments under the FOP scheme

Customs recently warned the RTO holders in the Port of Rotterdam (Rotterdam terminals) by letter that the recording of arrivals and departures in the stock administration of terminals with regard to the FOP scheme (partial shipments) is incomplete or incorrect. As a result, Customs will monitor this more strictly as of September 1, 2024.

At ECT, only the box operator can indicate via MyTerminal for the ECT Delta and ECT Euromax terminals that an export booking is a partial shipment. We have analyzed the data and concluded that in many cases this option is used improperly and that in many cases the booking does not concern an official/correct partial shipment.

A box operator may only indicate a partial shipment in MyTerminal if the booking meets the following conditions:

• The booking consists of more than 1 container.
• The (export) declaration was drawn up before departure from the hinterland and must therefore be registered via the MED before arrival at the terminal of the first container.
• One (export) declaration is made for multiple containers (more than 1).
• All containers associated with the booking and the (export) document are exported simultaneously (departure on the same ship).

If all these conditions are met, the shipment can be classified as a partial shipment and the box operator may indicate this in MyTerminal. In all other cases, this does not apply.

Since Customs will monitor this more strictly as of September 1, 2024, ECT will check the correct use of "partial shipments" and, if necessary, take action towards the relevant box operator. Any fines from Customs will be charged by ECT to the relevant box operator.