Dear Customer
CLOSURE AND DELISTING OF GRIMSBY BIP EFFECTIVE 1ST JULY 2022
You will doubtless be aware of the statement made to the UK Parliament by Rt Hon Jacob Rees Mogg MP on 28th April delaying the implementation of border checks on EU goods. Full details can be found at Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament.
The Government’s latest decision will impact on the existing Border Inspection Post (BIP) in Grimsby. The Grimsby BIP is currently used to inspect Rest of World products including frozen Products Of Animal Origin (POAO) for human consumption and high risk Products Not Of Animal Origin (PNOAO). The plan had been to close the BIP and move its work into the new Border Control Post in Immingham, consistent with the Government’s border operating model, which has now been delayed again. This is the fourth such delay, but the first one with some very real consequences.
In good faith, ABP entered into a contract for the land where the Grimsby BIP is located, based on the assumption that the Government inspection regime would be implemented. That contract has been delayed twice, causing a wait of over a year, but it cannot be delayed any further and the facility will be demolished starting on the 1st of July before the land is handed over to the tenant. This means that the existing BIP in Grimsby will close as of the 1st July.
ABP is working with NELC, APHA and Defra to implement alternative border control facilities to carry out inspections that have previously been carried out at the Grimsby BIP. Unfortunately, it is unlikely these works will be complete until at least October 2022.
ABP and NELC continue to work with the Competent Authorities and the Cabinet Office to identify any risk-based workarounds on a temporary basis until a more permanent solution is provided.
In the meantime, there will not be the facilities available to inspect Rest of World cargoes in Grimsby or Immingham subject to the above inspections until a temporary workaround or an alternative facility is constructed and consented by the appropriate regulatory authorities.
In light of the above, please ensure you make alternative arrangements at another port to import any cargoes from 1st July 2022 that would be subject to these inspections. Once the alternative facilities at Grimsby are available, we will let you know as soon as we can. In the meantime, there is an alternative facility in the Port of Hull which is consented to handle POAO (frozen fish for human consumption) and high risk food and feed PNOAO.
We apologise for this very real inconvenience which is an unintended consequence of the Government’s further delay to post EU exit border controls and out of the control of both ABP and NELC.
If you have any further questions or comments, please contact your usual account manager, email humber.commercial@abports.co.uk.
Yours sincerely,
Chris Bowlas
Head of Commercial
Posted on Thursday 16th June 2022