“It is the beginning of the end”: the Customs measure that seeks to lower costs and worries transporters and companies

The International Land Transportation Chamber of Uruguay (Catidu) and the company Bodypal questioned before the Finance Commission of Deputies an initiative of the National Customs Directorate (DNA) to exempt the use of electronic seals in merchandise transit operations belonging to security logistics chains, certified by qualified economic operators

The measure, defended by the national director of Customs, Joaquin Serraaims to reduce costs for companies and encourage trade facilitation. This had already raised questions due to the possible impact on the traceability of cargo and the risks of entry of illegal merchandise, such as drugs.

Martin Paleodirector of Catidu, warned that the changes could increase the civil liability of transport companies and the criminal liability of drivers. He explained that, in most cases, the transporters do not intervene in the loading of the trucks nor do they know what merchandise they are transporting.

Leonardo Maine/Archive El Pais

“In 99% of the loads we do not know what is being transported (…) We end up assuming a greater risk than the current one when transporting the load“said Paleo.

For his part, the president of the chamber, Mauro Borzacconidefended the current system for the traceability it allows from the starting point to the destination. He noted that it helped reduce theft and insurance costs.

“The seal is a guarantee for the transport“, he stated and warned that without the device the possibility of reconstructing the trucks’ route would be lost. “Today we know (…) if it deviated from the route or not, if it took a local road or if it was stopped at some point for a time,” he said.

National Customs Directorate.

In the same commission he appeared Bodypalservice provider company. Its general director, Carlos Baladón, assured that the company has registered “900,000 transits carried out with zero theft” and stated that the system “saves Uruguay US$ 19 million.”

Baladón especially questioned the eventual exoneration of the seal in operations linked to the airport, Zonamérica and the logistics hub. According to him, the cost of the device in these cases is US$43. “It is the beginning of the end of the electronic seal, of something that works wonders and is the pride of all of America,” he warned.