DHL has expanded its Trade Automation Services (TAS) for global shippers to additional countriesincluding Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Venezuela and the Philippines.
TAS is a comprehensive online resource from DHL that provides complete trade and customs datafor 63 countries. It now covers over 90% of the world’s trade flows. By April 2009, DHL plans tofurther expand its worldwide TAS coverage to Algeria, Jordan, Kuwait, Nigeria, Oman, Panama,Pakistan, Peru, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam.
“Strong growth for DHL Express in Asia Pacific and increased demand for day definite productsin Latin America led to DHL’s continued improvements and expansion of TAS,” said PrestonRencehausen, Services Portfolio Manager at DHL Express. “In 2008, TAS Web Services transactionswere up nearly 25%, reflecting the need to simplify and streamline global trade as it becomesincreasingly complex.”
With the increase in global trade flows, the reliance on global providers becomesincreasingly important. The tool targets businesses worldwide that need solutions to meetregulatory requirements, expedite customs clearance, and minimise risk while maximising profit, DHLExpress USA said in a statement.
The service offers competitive advantages for global shippers, including more trade documentsto prevent errors of omission, 10-digit Harmonised Tariff System codes for faster customs clearanceand more accurate estimates, as well as daily updates to the system.
TAS is designed to take the guess work out of estimating duties, import/export regulationsand other customs-related issues, providing access to many functions. These include among others alanded-cost calculator, a product compliance verifying that shipments comply with country exportand import regulations and detailed information about trade documents that are required for aspecific shipment to ensure smooth customs clearance.
In addition, DHL’s TAS Web Services can be integrated directly into business applications orwebsites, allowing companies to access TAS trade data directly from their existing systems, thecompany added.
