At the turn of March and April 2024, a pilot of the Temporary Storage Warehouse (TSW) and Customs Warehouse service was launched at the DSV warehouse in Gdańsk, designed to meet the needs of customers using sea freight services. The new product offering is the result of cooperation between the LCL sea freight product team and the team managing the DSV warehouse in Gdańsk. After completing the test analysis, the operator decided to introduce the TSW service permanently.
“Access to TSW is one of the key requirements for customers using both LCL and FCL freight, as it allows for an extension of the time available for customs clearance. At the beginning of this year, we received a request to verify the possibility of implementing TSW at our Gdańsk facility. After discussions and analysis, we decided to establish a partnership aimed at creating a comprehensive service for FCL and LCL customers. In the first stage, our solution was used by importers who use LCL services on a daily basis,” says Sebastian Skuza, Branch Manager Gdańsk, DSV.
Launching the TSW required obtaining a permit issued by the Customs and Tax Office. The first step in this process was establishing cooperation with a customs agency — the DSV TSW operates based on the authorization of the CJ Zelinka Customs Agency. The partners supported DSV specialists in preparing the documentation necessary to begin providing the expanded scope of services.
For the needs of customs operations, the existing warehouse was adapted to the requirements set by the regulator, the most important of which was ensuring the ability to quickly identify goods awaiting customs clearance. In conventional warehouses, the TSW zone is physically marked. Meanwhile, in Gdańsk, the team used the existing electronic management system to mark cargo subject to customs procedures. The digital solution prevents the accidental release of goods and enables their quick identification during potential inspections by the Customs Office — just as effectively as “traditional methods.” As a result of this innovative approach, goods awaiting clearance can be stored in any part of the warehouse, which ensures greater service flexibility and resilience to unforeseen delivery peaks. As a result, the new TSW has a total storage area of 20,500 sqm.
Warehouse according to needs
“From the very beginning, our colleagues from the contract logistics team emphasized that we should develop our cooperation in small steps, in stages. As a result, we have not only created a system and processes that perfectly meet our internal needs as DSV, but above all, a valuable offer for our customers. I am proud that the feedback we are receiving is very positive,” says Bogdan Homiak, LCL & Rail Senior Manager at DSV – Global Transport and Logistics.
The process of handling an arriving container:
- Documentation regarding the cargo is transferred by the sea freight forwarding team to the Gdańsk warehouse logistics team, where it undergoes initial verification.
- After verification, the documents go to the Customs Agency, which prepares the goods for entry into the TSW by drafting appropriate declarations and submitting the required financial guarantees to the Office in case of failure to fulfill the customs clearance obligation.
- In case of discrepancies or omissions, the DSV team asks the sender to complete the documentation. Importantly, the goods can enter the warehouse even in the event of non-compliance, provided that corrective actions are taken before their release and introduction into circulation.
- The container arrives at the warehouse, where it is unloaded. After verifying the contents and their compliance with the declarations, and confirming with the Customs Agency that procedures have been completed, the warehouse process begins, including picking, sorting by customer, and palletizing according to the client’s guidelines.
- After receiving the report, the goods are formally entered into the TSW and their management is transferred to DSV.
Full shipment handling
Thanks to the start of the TSW service by the Gdańsk branch, the entire customs process becomes simpler because all aspects related to transport and cargo handling are carried out by DSV. The comprehensiveness of the new offer translates into increased convenience for the client.
In the event that goods are found to be non-compliant with regulations, the Gdańsk warehouse team provides full support in rectifying the deficiencies, even if it requires non-standard actions. For example, when one customer’s products lacked the legally required instructions in Polish, the TSW staff printed them as stickers and attached them to the packaging, thanks to which the requirements were met and the goods could be introduced into circulation.