In 6 years, the number of customs clearance cases handled by our used car department increased tenfold! Even with an increase in requests, our specialization system and system management have vastly improved our operational efficiency.
Seaworld Logix Co., Ltd. offers customs clearance, international intermodal transport (non-vessel operating common carrier), and used car transport services. It provides customs clearance services for Sync Logistics as a partner company.
Opened in 2015, Seaworld Logix’s Yokohama branch has seen a tenfold increase in the number of customs clearance cases handled by its used car department with the expansion of Sync Logistics’ business. Simultaneously, the company has revised its operations, resulting in a significant increase in the speed of processing customs declarations.
We asked Mr. Yutaka Jinbo, a director and the branch manager, about working with Sync Logistics, his impressions of the company, and the benefits of the partnership.
Providing Customs Clearance for the Export of 2000 Vehicles (4 Containers’ Worth) per Month
Company profile and description of business
We offer support services for international transport, with customs clearance as our main business.
Since our establishment in 2008 and headquartered in Osaka, we have been actively doing business in the Kansai area. But in 2015, we received a customs clearance license from Yokohama Customs, resulting in the opening of our Yokohama branch. We are a member of the Japan International Freight Forwarders Association (JIFFA), engaging in customs clearance and international intermodal transport services.
The cargo we mainly handle are used cars, used construction equipment, and food products, with a specialty in the intermodal transport of goods to Vietnam and Africa.
With the amendment to the Port Transport Business Act in 2017, customs declaration offices were liberalized, allowing customs clearance to be conducted at any customs house in Japan. As a result, the number of our clients nationwide has also increased.
Details of our partnership
We handle the customs clearance of used vehicles exported by Sync Logistics, including preparing documents and conducting declaration procedures necessary for obtaining export licenses from the customs house.
We started working with Sync Logistics from our headquarters in Osaka, but since 2016, we have been working with them from our Yokohama branch.
At first, their requests were limited to specific destinations such as Mongolia and Sri Lanka, but as their business expanded, the number of customs clearance requests have also increased. We now handle the customs clearance of exports for all destinations from Yokohama Port and Kawasaki Port.
On average, we handle the customs clearance of 2000 vehicles per month, or 400 containers’ worth.
Comprehensive Consignment through a System Developed by Sync Logstics. 20 People Sharing Information as Work Progresses.
Partnership with Sync Logistics and our operations structure
We manage the progress of our operations using La-Plus, a system developed by Sync Logistics.
Generally, customs clearance requests from customers come in one by one, by fax or email. But with Sync Logistics, data and documents are uploaded to La-Plus as needed, so we can check and receive requests comprehensively. If we sort the information by cut-off date*, we can easily see how many containers have a certain cut-off date. We then download the information and work on them in order.
We have 10 staff members working on Sync Logistics’ requests at our Yokohama branch. At this branch, to make sure that the proper documents are handed over to our customs division swiftly, we have a checking by specialization system in place. Administrative staff are responsible for checking customs clearance documents and vanning photos, and inputting them into NACCS**. Areas that require expertise such as assigning categories (using the Harmonized Commodity and Description and Coding System) and customs declarations are handled by a customs agent.
With regards to the preparation of bills of landing (B/L) which is just as important as customs clearance in terms of trade, we have dedicated staff who prepare dock receipts (D/R) and shipping orders (S/O).
Including staff from Sync Logistics, we have 20 people working smoothly together thanks to La-Plus where we share information and check progress.
※The cut-off date refers to the deadline by which cargo must be delivered to the container yard or the container freight station (warehouse or work area near the port).
**NACCS stands for Nippon Automated Cargo and Port Consolidated System, a system for efficiently carrying out administrative procedures such as import/export declaration (customs clearance) and the payment of customs duties.
In 6 Years, the Number of Customs Clearance Cases Handled by our Used Car Department Increased Tenfold. Even with an Increase in Requests, the Checking by Specialization System and System Management have Vastly Improved our Operational Efficiency.
Effects and benefits of our partnership
Since working with Sync Logistics, the number of customs clearance cases handled by the used car department of our Yokohama branch has increased tenfold over the past 6 years.
We have also revised our system. In response to an increase in requests, we have changed it to a checking by specialization system, thus improving our efficiency which has been a huge benefit.
Like Sync Logistics, when the number of requests for customs clearance and dock receipts increases, it becomes difficult to finish everything with a limited number of people and a limited number of time. Of course we can’t overburden our staff and make them work overtime every day. In each section of our company, we have trained staff to become experts, which has enabled us to reduce the time needed for each task, and allowed us to handle more work.
We decided that our system should not be “always better,” but “always the best.” With this in mind, our current system was developed to enhance both accuracy and efficiency. In terms of systems, La-Plus has also contributed greatly to improving our operational efficiency.
Because the system is comprehensive for consignments, it’s easy to grasp the workload and schedules in advance, allowing us to proceed systematically. It’s easy to adjust the daily workload by managing it according to certain conditions. For example, we can see we have to finish a certain job this week because the following week will be busy; or we can tell what job to do first before proceeding to the next one.
Moreover, because La-Plus collectively manages detailed photos of the actual vehicles and the vanning process, checking the actual number of vehicles exported and vehicle numbers and adding these to the shipper’s documents goes smoothly.
A Frank Exchange of Opinions and Proactively Listening to Requests for Improvement
Impressions of Sync Logistics
The port industry is an analog industry. Sync Logistics is taking the lead in going digital, and we are learning a lot from them.
We also hold regular meetings and discussions with them, and they proactively listen to our opinions and requests which is helpful. For example, when we make requests for modifications to La-Plus which will be helpful for us customs brokers, they are always willing to incorporate such changes.
Partly because both of our companies are still relatively young in this industry, Sync Logistics deals with us in an even-tempered way, which allows us to have frank discussions with them. I believe this is the reason why we have been able to work hard together for the past 6 years.
Deepening our Relationship as Forwarders and Pioneering New Business Together
Prospects for future business
As a customs broker, we believe it is important to talk about the accuracy of documents and work efficiency. Regarding the accuracy of documents, we want to incorporate digitalization in our checking system using software. Regarding efficiency, we want to continue using Sync Logistics’ La-Plus, and promote digitalization while consulting our major clients.
In the field of forwarding (international intermodal transport), we want to collaborate with Sync Logistics in some way. That’s because we’re looking for new commodities since we believe that the used car (gasoline, diesel, and hybrid) export market will rapidly decline due to the spread of electric vehicles worldwide. By sharing information with each other, we’re sure to find alternative commodities and businesses. In this light, we want to communicate with Sync Logistics on a deeper level, and pave the way together for mutual growth.
■Company Profile
Company name: Seaworld Logix Co., Ltd.
Description of business: Type 1 cargo and freight forwarding
Type 2 cargo and freight forwarding (ocean-going)
Consignment services for import/export procedures
International intermodal transport
Packing cargo for export
Customs clearance
Number of employees: 20
URL：https://www.seaworld-l.co.jp/
