New procedures for phytosanitary inspections in the Port of Genoa

Checks with minimal impact on logistic processes.

The Western Ligurian Sea Port Authority, the Spediporto Genoa Freightforwarders Association and the Genoa Terminal Operators Association, together with the Phytosanitary Division of the Liguria Region, have signed a cooperation agreement aimed at establishing a timed schedule of custom border inspections on agricultural commodities and food products imported across the Port of Genoa, to guarantee the completion of all inspections within 24 hours.

The new procedures, designed to speed up date exchange between the shipping companies and the public administrations, ensure a timed schedule for the containers subject to physical Customs inspections. Within this framework, the Phytosanitary Division inspectors, in conjunction with terminal operators and freightforwarders, are set to introduce double shifts. The key objectives are to improve the quality standard of the inspections, reduce the dwelling time of the container in the port and cut cargo handling costs.

In response to the strong growth in the volumes of agricultural commodities and food products handled in the Ports of Genoa, the Phytosanitary Division has been instrumental in identifying a new operating model, in conjunction with the terminal operators and freightforwarders, geared towards reducing inspection times. This sizeable undertaking has become even more urgent in the aftermath of the collapse of the Morandi bridge which has had an impact on mobility across the port.

Genoa is set to be back on track thanks to a simplification of administrative procedures, which will also result in a substantial reduction in movements from one port basin to another. In the past, this involved the movement of inspectors across the port which, at present is complicated.

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