1CL network
Page 18
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
inks with France
DOOR-TO-DOOR service for all freight from anywhere in tam n to any destination in ince is now provided 'by tional Carriers in conjuncn with the Sernam organisen, an offshoot of French ilways. Belgium, Holland, Kembourg and Germany are m to be similarly linked.
Jsing the Sealink roll-on/ 1-off 'service from Newhaven Dieppe, trailer loads of .arcels " are taken to the mam depot near Paris for i,ak-bulk sorting and onrds transmission, by rail or id, 'to any destination in ince.
N'CL assistant managing ector Alan Richards told a rty of journalists at a Rouen ?.s's conference that senders 'Britain could obtain rates 'ormation from any NCL pot. The Sernam depot at La L'apelle, near Paris, became practical purposes part of :L and NCL's depot at 'the ndon International Freight rminal (LIFT) became part the Sernam set-up.
Small freight weight limits the new service range from to 1,000kg (1101b to 2,205 1. Deliveries in France are excted to be made within two seven working days and all .ight carried on the service II be under CMR conditions standard insurance cover at e rate of £3;400 per 'tonne, Although •a price list for Lrious weight categories to 'mice has been devised relatg NCL depots by their code imbers to the postal Departemts numbers, British customs using the new service can t be advised by NCL of the Istoms clearance or duty targes or of the VAT payable France. French VAT is levied rates varying from six to 38 • cent on the value of the ),ods, but in 'addition., inwards affic to France bears a 20 per !nt VAT charge on the value ' the inland goods freight large.
Exports from France are not tbject to French VAT but they are, of course, charged British VAT. Import duties between the UK and EEC are due to be eXtinguished on January 1, 1978.
In a comparison with air freight rates, Mr Val Ramsay, NCL's export/import manager, said that at 50 kilos there was net much difference but the NCL/Sernam service would be much cheaper for consignments of 300 kilos and upwards. He estimated that a 50kg parcel from Newcastle on Tyne to Aix en Provence would cost £2.80 for the UK/Paris link plus £7.20 for the Paris/Aix en Provence link. In addition, there would be a E5 charge for documentation. If desired, senders could arrange for all ancillary charges to be debited back to them.
Although many organisations provided services between main population centres in the UK and France, said Mr Ramsay, many exporters had had to "shop around" to find a suitable service.
The Sernam organisation differs from NCL in not operating its own vehicles. French law forbid's the owning State railway (SNCF) 'to operate lorries so the small freight services collection and delivery work 'and some trunking operations are undertaken by independent contra& hauliers. Altogether there are said to 'be 4,500 trunking vehicles and about 9,000 c. and d. vehicles. They operate from 170 depots, 44 districts and 13 transhipment centres. The rail/road freight mix was said to be in the ratio of 80:20; With a proportion of container traffic carried 'by either medium.
Mr Richards said the NCL/ Sernam service had ;operated experimentally for several months and currently two trailers per week left the LIFT terminal at Stratford for Paris. it was necessary for goods to be delivered into Stratford before noon on Monday or Thursday to allow time for completion of manifests before the trailer left 'after Customs clearance. By October this year there could be a daily service.
Correspondents visiting the Sernam depot at Rouen were impressed with the thorough ness 'of the documentation system einployed and with the amount of mechanical handling equipment provided 'to handle, relatively, small volumes Of goods. Clearly, French (industry has not escaped the slump in trade.