Notification Import Documentation

If you have accidentally prenotified an incorrect document, you can request ECT Delta or Euromax to cancel the document via the service Notification Import Documentation. For other terminals, this can only be done by phone or e-mail, your can read more about that here.

Revoke a pre-notified document

Only documents with the status ‘Approved’ can be cancelled. Documents with the status ‘Sent’ or ‘Rejected’ cannot be cancelled.

In the details screen of the document notification, select 'Withdraw notification’

In the confirmation screen, select 'Withdraw' again:

You will see a confirmation that the cancellation request has been submitted to the terminal. You cannot pre-notify a new document at this time, as long as this request has not been processed.

The terminal will let you know (after a short delay) if the request has been accepted or rejected. You can check this in the ‘status’ column or in the timeline in the details window. A terminal may choose to deny the request, for example, if the container has been picked up or is ready to be picked up.

Your cancellation request can have the following statuses in the timeline:

• Status 'Sent’: your cancellation request has been sent to the terminal
• Status 'Cancellation request processing': your cancellation request is being processed by the terminal
• Status 'Cancelled': your cancellation request has been accepted by the terminal
• Status 'Cancellation rejected’: your cancellation request has been rejected by the terminal. A terminal may refuse a cancellation request, for example because the container has already left the terminal. In this case, the document will not be deleted. Please contact the terminal to discuss a solution.

After the erroneous pre-notification has been removed, you can submit a new document pre-notification.

If you have accidentally prenotified an incorrect document, you can request ECT Delta or Euromax to cancel the document via the service Notification Import Documentation. For other terminals, this can only be done by phone or e-mail.

Read the quick start guide on how to request the cancellation of a prenotified document. After the incorrect prenotification has been deleted, you can make a new document prenotification.

Below you can see which procedure each terminal supports.

APM Maasvlakte II: mvii.datacenter@apmterminals.com

Barge Center Waalhaven: Pvdpluijm@waalhaven-group.nl

Broekman Distriport: CSD.distriport@broekmanlogistics.com / csd.containers@broekmanlogistics.com

CCT Moerdijk: operations@cctmoerdijk.com /0168-334289

CLDN (C.RO) Ports Rotterdam: freight.uk@cldn.com / +352 264466288

CLDN (C.RO) Ports Vlissingen: freight.uk@cldn.com / +352 264466288

DFDS Seaways Rotterdam (Vlaardingen): ferry.vlaardingen@dfds.com / +31(0)10-2084991

Hutchison Ports ECT Delta and Euromax: You can submit a cancellation request via Notification Import Documentation. For questions about your cancellation request, please contact customerservice@ect.nl

Hutchison Ports Delta II: rot.data-edi@hutchisonportsdelta2.com

Kloosterboer Vlissingen: KBV.Logistics@kloosterboer.nl / 0118-486359

KVSA (DFDS) IJmuiden: felison@kvsa.nl / 06- 26 434 993

Matrans Rotterdam Terminal: administration.terminal@matrans.nl

P&O Ferries Rotterdam (Europoort): customs.clearance.europoort@poferries.com / +31 (0)181-255310

Rotterdam World Gateway (RWG): dcg@rwg.nl

Rotterdam Shortsea Terminals: customs@rstbv.nl or 010 - 294 2422

Stena Line Hoek van Holland: security.holland@stenaline.nl / + 31 (0)174-389444

Stena Line Rotterdam (Europoort): security.europoort@stenaline.nl / +31 (0)181-242180

TMA Amsterdam: amsterdam_ct@tmalogistics.nl or 020 – 705 2444

Verbrugge Zeeland: avis@verbrugge.nl or 0118 – 42 63 90

Verbrugge Scaldia: avis@verbrugge.nl of 0118 – 42 63 90

Waalhaven Botlek Terminal: balie_wbt@waalhaven-group.nl

Zoomweg Zeeland Coldstore: import@zzcoldstore.nl / 0113-322361

To be on the safe side, we recommend that you contact the terminal. Although the modality is not yet in use, your haulier may have problems if it turns out that you specified the wrong modality.

As per March 27 (monday), Notification Import Documentation will get a new look and feel.

Many of you will recognize the new look, as it is similar to the Cargo Controller. By updating NID it will be easier to switch between the two services.

The features of NID remain exactly the same.

New overview screen

New details screen

As of today you can withdraw incorrect document pre-notifications to ECT (Delta/ Euromax) via Notification Import Documentation.

Read in the Quick Start Guide of Notification Import Documentation how the new functionality works.

For other terminals document can only be withdrawn by contacting the terminal directly. please find the contact details in this FAQ.

In addition: Document pre-notifications to ECT (Delta/ Euromax) contain an additional status 'Processing'. This status is displayed when the terminal has received the pre-notification correctly, but has not yet been able to process it in the TOS-system. After processing, the successive status will be 'Accepted' or 'Rejected'. Usually the status processing will change to 'accepted' once the container is discharged.

• Download feature: It is now possible to download a CSV-overview of all your previous notifications. You will find the download-button at the top of your overview. search filters will also apply to the downloaded file.
• Date filter: New filter option to filter by date (from-to)

Portbase validates the correctnes of documentnumbers based on a set of criteria.

Especially customs-documents (transitdocuments and import documents) have strict requirements.

* Please find an overview of the valid customs officenumber for each terminal

Example: "21NL00051015132BD2" is a transit document in the simplified procedure for a terminal located at the Maasvlakte (e.g. APM terminals)

If your shipment is a groupage transport, a document must be pre-notified for each shipment.

You can check whether you are dealing with groupage transport in the service Import Status.

You are dealing with groupage transport if, when you search for your shipment in the service Import Status, you receive several search results in which the last 3 digits of the shipment number differ each time. See for example:

You can see the status per shipment in the example above. Make sure that an import document is pre-notified for each shipment.

If you have questions about one of the shipments, please contact the ferry operator.

Document type 'customs release' is only intended for specific cargo shipments that require additional explicit customs permission to leave the terminal. The shipment remains blocked until Customs has granted this permission.

We have noticed that 'customs release' is regularly used to pre-notify transit documents from the UK or Ireland. This is not correct and results in your shipment remaining blocked at the terminal.
For transit documents drawn up in Ireland or the United Kingdom, the shipping company will make a notification import documentation on your behalf. For more information, see this explanation.

How can you correct an incorrect notification with FWV?
If you have pre-notified the document type FWV unintentionally, please contact the terminal to correct this document notification.

A shipment number consists of a SCAC-code, the booking number and the sequence number of the shipment. Shipment numbers of ferry-operators have the following format:

In principle, the packaging has lost its Union status and must be declared in order for goods to regain Union status.
How it works:

• In the case of deepsea/shortsea: you must make an import declaration or a transit declaration. The document number of this declaration must then be prenotified to the terminal via Notification Import Documentation.
• Special arrangements have been made for ferry traffic.

1. The ferry operator may make a declaration on your behalf.
2. The ferry operator will also perform the document prenotification on your behalf.
3. You do not have to file a declaration with Customs and you do not have to prenotify a document.

Please note! In your booking with the ferry operator, clearly state that you are transporting empty packaging. Also make sure that you comply with the Customs regulations: (in Dutch): https://www.getreadyforbrexit.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/2020-09-28-Memo-ODB-terugkerende-emballage-en-verpakkingen1.pdf

Scenario: You have drawn up a transit document from the United Kingdom (or from Ireland) that continues to accompany the goods until their final destination in the european hinterland (so-called transit document; T1/T2). Hence, the transit documents  should not be signed off in the Netherlands.

To make sure that the goods may proceed through the hinterland to it's final destination, follow this procedure:

Your carrier ( / ferry operator) will have to declare your goods as 'passing though upon arrival'.

1. But you do need to indicate in your booking with your shipping company / ferry operator that you wish to ship goods with a passing transit document. You do this by giving the MRN number of your transit declaration in your booking.
2. Upon arrival in the Netherlands, the shipping company will submit your transit document to Customs and will submit a pre-notification to the terminal on your behalf.
3. You do not need to notify the transit document via Notification Import Documentation.

Please note! A transit document from the UK can be recognised by the first 5 characters: "21GB00" A number starting with "21GB01X" is not a transit document, but an export document from the UK.

If you cannot find the ‘document number and container number’, please contact the service desk. We can check whether this may have been registered by another party. If we are unable to find it, it has most likely not been registered.

Notification Import Documentation 2.0 can be used for both deepsea-, shortsea- and ferry terminals.

• Deepsea- and shortsea terminals generally want to receive your import document per container. In that case, enter the unique container number in the equipment number field.
• For ferryterminals, it is necessary to send your import document per shipment number. A shipment number consists of a SCAC-code, the booking number and the sequence number of the shipment. Shipment numbers of ferry-operators have the following format:

CLDN: CLVW0012345678001

DFDS/KVSA: DFDS123456780001

P&O: PONFHU12345678001

Stena Line: STNL0012345678001

This overview shows which cargo flows are supported by the various terminals.

You can find an overview of the supported information flows here.
In this overview, you can see for each terminal whether it supports MID messages with container numbers, shipment numbers or both. You can find this information in the line ‘Pre-notify type of cargo flow?’

You are not authorised to use the document type in question at the terminal in question. Check your terminal contract and amend it in consultation with our sales department.

Some terminals will dispatch an acceptance message in reply to the sent notification and others will not. This means an acceptance message will only show up in your screen for terminals that dispatch said message. An overview of terminals which do and do not send an acceptance message is available here.

In this overview, you can determine for each terminal whether it supports an acceptance message (also known as a return message). You can find this information in the line ‘MID return message possible?’ Yes/no

See the customs authorities' "Guide to Notification Import Documentation in the Port of Rotterdam (MID)" 

A terminal is only permitted to allow cargo that has arrived/has been unloaded to leave the terminal if a customs procedure is known. Via Notification Import Documentation, you notify the terminal of the customs procedure for the cargo in question.

If you do not (yet) know by which mode of transport the cargo will be collected from the terminal, we recommend that you enter ‘Not applicable’.

If your shipment is a groupage transport, a document must be pre-notified for each shipment.

You can check whether you are dealing with groupage transport in the service Import Status.

You are dealing with groupage transport if, when you search for your shipment in the service Import Status, you receive several search results in which the last 3 digits of the shipment number differ each time. See for example:

You can see the status per shipment in the example above. Make sure that an import document is pre-notified for each shipment.

If you have questions about one of the shipments, please contact the ferry operator.

Document type 'customs release' is only intended for specific cargo shipments that require additional explicit customs permission to leave the terminal. The shipment remains blocked until Customs has granted this permission.

We have noticed that 'customs release' is regularly used to pre-notify transit documents from the UK or Ireland. This is not correct and results in your shipment remaining blocked at the terminal.
For transit documents drawn up in Ireland or the United Kingdom, the shipping company will make a notification import documentation on your behalf. For more information, see this explanation.

How can you correct an incorrect notification with FWV?
If you have pre-notified the document type FWV unintentionally, please contact the terminal to correct this document notification.

A shipment number consists of a SCAC-code, the booking number and the sequence number of the shipment. Shipment numbers of ferry-operators have the following format:

In principle, the packaging has lost its Union status and must be declared in order for goods to regain Union status.
How it works:

• In the case of deepsea/shortsea: you must make an import declaration or a transit declaration. The document number of this declaration must then be prenotified to the terminal via Notification Import Documentation.
• Special arrangements have been made for ferry traffic.

1. The ferry operator may make a declaration on your behalf.
2. The ferry operator will also perform the document prenotification on your behalf.
3. You do not have to file a declaration with Customs and you do not have to prenotify a document.

Please note! In your booking with the ferry operator, clearly state that you are transporting empty packaging. Also make sure that you comply with the Customs regulations: (in Dutch): https://www.getreadyforbrexit.eu/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/2020-09-28-Memo-ODB-terugkerende-emballage-en-verpakkingen1.pdf

No. The export declaration is only used to indicate that the goods are leaving the United Kingdom.

When entering The Netherlands, a new declaration must be submitted to Dutch customs (e.g. an import declaration or transit declaration). The document number of this declaration must then be prenotified to the terminal via Notification Import Documentation.

Scenario: You have drawn up a transit document from the United Kingdom (or from Ireland) that continues to accompany the goods until their final destination in the european hinterland (so-called transit document; T1/T2). Hence, the transit documents  should not be signed off in the Netherlands.

To make sure that the goods may proceed through the hinterland to it's final destination, follow this procedure:

Your carrier ( / ferry operator) will have to declare your goods as 'passing though upon arrival'.

1. But you do need to indicate in your booking with your shipping company / ferry operator that you wish to ship goods with a passing transit document. You do this by giving the MRN number of your transit declaration in your booking.
2. Upon arrival in the Netherlands, the shipping company will submit your transit document to Customs and will submit a pre-notification to the terminal on your behalf.
3. You do not need to notify the transit document via Notification Import Documentation.

Please note! A transit document from the UK can be recognised by the first 5 characters: "21GB00" A number starting with "21GB01X" is not a transit document, but an export document from the UK.

No. The export declaration is only used to indicate that the goods are leaving the United Kingdom.

When entering The Netherlands, a new declaration must be submitted to Dutch customs (e.g. an import declaration or transit declaration). The document number of this declaration must then be prenotified to the terminal via Notification Import Documentation.

The timeline of the notification shows the progress of your notification, with the most recent status at the top of the timeline.

• Status ‘New’: your notification has been created
• Status ‘Sent’: your notification has been sent to the terminal
• Status ‘Accepted’*: Your notification has been accepted by the terminal
• Status ‘Rejected’ *: Your notification has been rejected by the terminal.

A terminal may reject a notification if it cannot be processed by the terminal, for example because the document number does not match the selected document type. If this is the case, please check your notification. If necessary, contact our service desk.

Not all terminals dispatch an acceptance message. Check this overview to see which terminals send an acceptance message (also known as ‘MID return message’).

Some terminals will dispatch an acceptance message in reply to the sent notification and others will not. This means an acceptance message will only show up in your screen for terminals that dispatch said message. An overview of terminals which do and do not send an acceptance message is available here.

In this overview, you can determine for each terminal whether it supports an acceptance message (also known as a return message). You can find this information in the line ‘MID return message possible?’ Yes/no

• Check the status of your notification: If the status is ‘refused’ (by PCS or terminal) or ‘failed’, then the notification has not been accepted. Fix the error message and resend the message.
• Check that the correct document number, document type and container/shipment number have been entered. If this is not the case, enter the correct information and resend the notification.
• Check that you have entered the correct terminal. It sometimes happens that cargo is diverted to another terminal at the last minute; this is not automatically changed in your Notification Import Documentation.
• Check in ‘Cargo information 2.0’, in ‘Cargo Tracker’ or in ‘Import Status’ whether your shipment or container has been unloaded. At some terminals, the import document is only processed in the terminal system after the cargo has been unloaded.
• If all information is correct, the terminal or PCS may have experienced a (brief) disruption. Resend your notification.

• Check the status of your notification: if the status is 'rejected' (by PCS or terminal) or 'failed', the notification has not been accepted. Resolve the error message and resend the notification
• Check that the correct document number, document type and container/shipment number have been entered. If this is not the case, enter the correct information and resend the notification
• Check that you have entered the correct terminal. Sometimes the cargo is switched to another terminal at the last minute; this information is not automatically updated in your Notification Import Documentation
• Check in 'Cargo information 2.0' or 'Import status' to see whether your shipment or container has been unloaded. At some terminals, the import document is only recognised by the terminal system once the cargo has been added to the RTO (= Unloaded on the quayside).
• If all the information is correct, there may have been some (short-term) disruption at the terminal or to the PCS. Resend your notification

• Check the status of your notification: if the status is 'rejected' (by PCS or terminal) or 'failed', the notification has not been accepted. Resolve the error message and resend the notification
• Check that the correct document number, document type and container/shipment number have been entered. If this is not the case, enter the correct information and resend the notification
• Check that you have entered the correct terminal. Sometimes the cargo is switched to another terminal at the last minute; this information is not automatically updated in your Notification Import Documentation
• Check in 'Cargo information 2.0' or 'Import status' to see whether your shipment or container has been unloaded. At some terminals, the import document is only recognised by the terminal system once the cargo has been added to the RTO (= Unloaded on the quayside).
• If all the information is correct, there may have been some (short-term) disruption at the terminal or to the PCS. Resend your notification

If your cargo is unloaded at a different terminal than anticipated, you need to submit a new document pre-notification for this new terminal.

You need to inform the terminal at which the incorrect notification has been made. If the change of terminal takes place within the ECT terminals (Hutchison Ports ECT Delta / Euromax) then no action is required on your part. In the ECT system, the notification is only linked to a terminal after the container has been unloaded.

No. The export declaration is only used to indicate that the goods are leaving the United Kingdom.

When entering The Netherlands, a new declaration must be submitted to Dutch customs (e.g. an import declaration or transit declaration). The document number of this declaration must then be prenotified to the terminal via Notification Import Documentation.

Before you can send a NID message to a terminal, you need to sign a terminal contract for that terminal. In this terminal contract, you accept responsibility for the complete and correct prenotification of your document data to the terminal.

Please contact sales@portbase.com to sign the appropriate terminal contracts for the terminals you want. The applicable terminals and document types will then be activated for you in the service Notification Import Documentation. After activation, you can select the terminal in the service.

The moment you enter a number of a customs document, we automatically check whether its structure corresponds to that in the various customs systems.
In this way, we reduce the chance of error for you and problems are avoided when collecting the container at a terminal.
A straightforward example: an MRN number always comprises 18 characters. If you enter an MRN number with 17 characters, you will receive an error message. There are different criteria for each type of customs document that are automatically verified for you by the Port Community System.

Also see: # which document type should I use in which situation

If you cannot find the ‘document number and container number’, please contact the service desk. We can check whether this may have been registered by another party. If we are unable to find it, it has most likely not been registered.

Are you using Notification Domproc or Transit Declaration? Both services currently only support container cargo at deepsea terminals for forwarders. This will be resolved in the near future. Until then, you can use Notification Import Documentation 2.0.