© Taina Sohlmanm_DB Schenker truck 80728028
© Taina Sohlman

DB Schenker’s decision to suspend road transport services to the UK will “go down like a lead balloon”, amid mounting criticism of multinational forwarders’ handling of the post-Brexit processes.

Germany-headquartered DB Schenker yesterday informed customers via email it would be suspending land transport deliveries to the UK in response to “enormous bureaucratic regulations”.

The email, a copy of which has been passed to The Loadstar, informed customers it would “postpone all shipments until further notice”.

A spokesperson for the forwarder confirmed the move ...

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  • Chris Evans

    January 14, 2021 at 3:11 pm

    Perhaps it is time now to stop using the German state sponsored forwarder DB Schenker and similar companies. Also it is not surprising that they will hurt their own clients as well as themselves. In a free market you have a choice.

    Notice that recently DB Schenker have been “Grandstanding a lot” in other sectors such as seafreight.
    Never been a more dangerous time for them!

    • Jonas

      January 15, 2021 at 6:03 pm

      Idk why you suspect that Schenker is “sponsored” Schenker ist one of just to profitable firms within DB and does not require money from the German state.

  • Joe Farrelly

    January 14, 2021 at 4:51 pm

    Why is there no mention about Maersk reneging on 2021 signed contracts with dead freight clauses and space guarantees? Particularly on freight forwarders, whilst protecting BCO contracts and selected freight forwarders on FEWB trade.
    Surely this must be newsworthy.

    Kind Regards.

  • Stuart Mann

    January 14, 2021 at 5:33 pm

    No problems so far for International Forwarders using CargoWise One. Brexit ready.

    • william

      January 15, 2021 at 10:48 pm

      The problem is not getting the good in to the uk that is the easy part. We do a customs clearance and its here.

      Europe are trying to shaft the English business all need T1 if you do not go straight to that country. I can see this being the end of trade with europe. We will shift our veg buying and other goods will be sourced else where. Electrical goods they sell to us will be finished all made in originally. People forget eu and uk make no goods. This has stopped the under cutting…

  • william

    January 15, 2021 at 10:54 pm

    Stuart any international company was prepared. I have had how to these clearance for over 2 months im not with cargo wise . Same an entry from china just change 1 box

    Anyway we will be moving away from europe they just made easy for trade with us but made it hard for english companies to do trade with them without a T1 if going through other countries.

    Cant wait till we finally stop trading with them. its coming

  • Mjr Catastrophe

    January 16, 2021 at 6:36 am

    I own a micro-business importing goods from Europe into the UK. I’m small time.

    Being my livelihood, I made sure I was ready: EORI, commodity codes, CPC, letters of authority re: representation. This is what Schenker and Rhenus asked for. (BTW, Rhenus have stopped EU-UK transit as of Friday 15.1.21).

    I then contacted my EU suppliers and basically redesigned their commercial invoice to show the relevant information required, including gross and net weight, incoterms, insurance, po numbers. telephone numbers, et al.

    From Schenkers pov however, all it takes is the setting up simple database making sure that both their customers and consignees have completed the relevant information. If they have, they get “Brexit ready approval” or such kind.

    This is what the transition period was for, to get ready. I assume Schenker execs were playing golf during this time?

    Another thing. In this day and age, they way in which they communicate is abhorrent. Twitter is the perfect platform for keeping customers up to date. Instead, they use it for BS marketing shout outs and sycophantic hashtags: “What will the warehouse of the future look like?” and #OurAnswerIsYES

    #OurAnswerIsYES: oh, ok… Such confidence in what they do, they have to CAPITALISE it!!

    #YESWEARECLOSEDFORBUSINESS

  • Paul Bunnage

    January 16, 2021 at 2:23 pm

    Could this be due to pressure from the German government who own DB Schenker to cause disruption because the UK left the EU?
    DB Schenker have being accused and in some cases convicted of wrong doing before but when DBS has the government behind the company do they care?
    The company also have large stakes in other rail businesses in the UK. Perhaps a threat of rail nationalisation could be an option. It would make us more independent and stop forieign companies including DBS from profiteering at rail users expense.