The Customs RoRo Service is an Irish Revenue system used to manage customs clearance for Roll On Roll Off freight moving between Great Britain and Ireland. It allows carriers, hauliers, freight forwarders, and importers to complete customs formalities before ferry arrival using Pre Boarding Notifications, customs declarations, and customs channel lookup procedures.
Key Functions of the Customs RoRo Service
The Customs RoRo system helps streamline border compliance for ferry based freight movements through several key functions:
These processes help reduce delays at ports and support faster customs clearance for RoRo shipments.
How the RoRo Customs Process Works
The RoRo customs process typically follows these steps:
This process is commonly used for accompanied and unaccompanied freight travelling on RoRo ferry routes between the UK and Ireland.
What Is a Pre Boarding Notification, PBN?
A Pre Boarding Notification, PBN, is a mandatory electronic notification used in the Irish Customs RoRo Service. It groups all customs declarations linked to a vehicle or trailer before departure.
The PBN must be completed before boarding the ferry. If customs declarations are incomplete or invalid, the vehicle may not be permitted to travel.
What Is Customs Channel Lookup?
The customs channel lookup system allows operators to check whether a RoRo shipment can leave the port directly or requires customs intervention after arrival.
Common customs routing channels include:
The RoRo customs channel lookup process helps Irish Revenue manage border controls while reducing unnecessary port congestion.
Why the Customs RoRo Service Matters
The Customs RoRo Service became increasingly important after Brexit introduced additional customs controls between Great Britain and Ireland. Accurate customs declarations, valid MRNs, and compliant PBN submissions are now essential for cross border freight movement.
Failure to complete RoRo customs procedures correctly can lead to ferry boarding refusal, customs delays, inspections, or supply chain disruption.
How iCustoms Supports RoRo Customs Compliance
iCustoms helps businesses automate RoRo customs processes through Irish Revenue compliant solutions for customs declarations and Pre Boarding Notifications.
The platform supports:
Faster RoRo customs processing
By employing these features, the RoRo Service seeks to minimise port delays, assure compliance with customs declarations, and speed up customs operations. Carriers moving goods via RoRo routes can also benefit from iCustoms’ Irish import and export declarations platform.