BREXIT

The « Agence Maritime Lorientaise » ‘s team offers, among other things, Customs services. On this eve of Brexit, the activity is particularly intensive. Photo credit : Ouest-France.

Ouest-France Thursday, March 14, 2019. Free translation by A.M.L.

The NHS firm located in Lorient is the reseller of the English boat brand, RS sailing.

"We are three people in the company, presents Nicolas Honor, the Manager.

Our annual turnover is between 600 000 and 700 000 € per year ». At least last year, because there are some unknowns due to the United Kingdom’s EU exit.

Worried, at first... 

"At first I was a little worried, I didn't believe it. As part of other activities, I have already been confronted with import-export declarations documents, for two or three operations". On the scale of his activity volume, a hundred boats a year, Nicolas Honor prefers to surround himself with professionnals. "I contacted Chantal Denoual, at the Agence maritime Lorientaise (A.M.L) because managing a dozen semi-trailers a year is logistically more complicated.. " 

Congestion in Roscoff 

Without mentioning extra costs, stress, pressure : "There's going to be congestion in Roscoff and Saint-Malo. It seemed necessary for me to rely on the skills of a freight forwarder". 

In Lorient, A.M.L has a department dedicated to Customs formalities and transport. 

According to the types of products imported or exported, the customs rules are different.

"On the perishable, sanitary standards will complicate trade flows, especially since veterinarians do not yet have all the answers," explains Chantal Denoual, manager of Customs and Forwarding department. The difficulty is also that we do not know the volumes of goods concerned, since until now there are no customs formalities in place. Products are exchanged without it being known".

Turn your back on the English ?  

Are some companies threatened in Morbihan ? "They organize themselves to find alternatives. It all depends on the volumes, the size of the company. Sometimes it will be easier to find another European supplier and turn your back on the English". 

What about the NHS sailing dinghies? "I anticipated, I filled my stocks a little, explains Nicolas Honor, but I'm not worried about my level of activity. It's going to complicate things. Make them less flexible. Before, a client could call me and I delivered the boat the following week. This will take longer". Nicolas Honor is planning a six-month adaptation phase. The businessman feels the concern rather on the other side of the Channel. "My supplier needs to adapt to this problem for all European countries... My network over there is very worried".

Delphine LANDAY