Modal Training Limited, the first organisation in the UK to offer integrated, multimodal logistics training for sea, road, rail and air, has launched a new consultancy service to help businesses achieve Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) accreditation.
AEO is a quality standard for EU businesses engaged in international trade, which is set to become more important for UK companies, following the changes in EU customs rules in May 2016. Under the new Union Customs Code (UCC), only businesses with AEO status will benefit from faster processing and clearance at the frontier, easier access to customs authorisations and reduced data requirements.
Patrick Henry, of Modal Training said: “AEO accreditation has, since its introduction in 2008, enabled businesses to prove to trading partners and customs authorities in all member states, that they are secure, trustworthy and legally compliant. Now AEO status is set to offer a wide range of practical and commercial benefits too, which will be denied to those who are not accredited.
“We are keen therefore to work with businesses to help them achieve AEO status. We will be running introductory workshops to explain the benefits of AEO and help businesses to assess their current position against the required standard.
“We will also be offering tailored consultancy support to help them through the application process. We can provide step-by-step guidance, or manage the full project for them. I would therefore urge any import, export or freight forwarding business, which is not AEO accredited, to get in touch.”
Modal Training’s AEO services will be delivered by Sue Chapman, who has over 25 years’ experience in freight forwarding, working as sea freight manager for Kuehne + Nagel, as well as an account manager for P&O Nedlloyd’s freight forwarding sector.
Sue has also provided consultancy services for British International Freight Association (BIFA), working with the director general to develop qualifications, and has headed up the AEO project at logistics and distribution group Advanced Supply Chain.
When it is fully operational later in the year, Modal Training will offer integrated, multimodal logistics training for sea, road, rail and air, as well as a full range of support services. It will deliver realistic training, replicating the working environment, in a wide range of settings.
Facilities will include extensive warehousing, engineering and rail safety teaching facilities, and the UK’s only Freight Forwarding Academy. The new £7million centre of excellence for the ports, energy and logistics sectors will be located in an existing 5,696 m2 facility in Immingham.
