Lufthansa Cargo subsidiary CB Customs Broker digitally clears two million eCommerce shipments per month at Frankfurt Airport

• Digital customs clearance of eCommerce shipments before landing
• Shorter handling and customs clearance times for online retailers
• Further expansion of Frankfurt as a hub for the growing European eCommerce market

CB Customs Broker digitally processes two million eCommerce shipments per month at Frankfurt Airport. The Lufthansa Cargo subsidiary uses specially developed software to transmit shipment data to customs fully automatically and securely. In cooperation with onsite handling partners, the shipments can be handed over to the last mile carriers up to 50 percent faster than before.

Digital customs clearance of eCommerce shipments prior to landing

In mid-February 2024, CB Customs Broker reported 50 million digitally cleared shipments in just three years. Most of these clearances were eCommerce shipments. The company developed its own software in 2020 to more efficiently handle the high demand for eCommerce during the pandemic.

Two years later, the software was certified for the ATLAS IMPOST postal and courier declaration process. As a result, shipments with a value of up to €150 can be digitally processed for customs and import VAT purposes. The software is capable of digitally processing up to 20,000 shipments per hour and declaring them to customs before they land.

Secure import of goods into the EU from third countries

In addition to digital customs clearance, the software allows for an ICS2 (Import Control System 2) declaration. This IT control system records the details of all goods imported into the EU before they arrive. This important EU control instrument is used for risk assessment and threat prevention. CB Customs Broker provides the data automatically at package level and in accordance with ICS2 requirements.

The company also performs automated compliance checks. A modular software structure, API interfaces and advanced encryption technologies enable fast data transfer between shippers and customs.

Transport, handling and customs clearance from a single source

As soon as the shipments land in Frankfurt, they are taken directly to the eCommerce terminal, sorted and scanned at package level. The shipment data is then transmitted directly to customs via API. Since spring, CB Customs Broker has been handling several Lufthansa Cargo freighters every week in cooperation with heyworld, also a subsidiary of Lufthansa Cargo.

This provides online retailers with a full-service solution: air freight transportation, customs clearance and handling from a single source. As a result, up to 70,000 eCommerce shipments are cleared through customs in Frankfurt every day.

Customs solution accelerates cross-border eCommerce via Frankfurt

CB Customs Broker is the only customs broker that can reliably and securely clear such large volumes of shipments in Frankfurt. Previously, eCommerce shipments arriving in Frankfurt were often transported to neighboring European countries. There, the shipments were cleared and then trucked back to Germany.

"From an environmental and efficiency point of view, the previous process was obviously not ideal. The loss of time also stood in contrast to the short delivery times that consumers now expect from online orders," says Uwe Glunz, Managing Director of CB Customs Broker.

He adds: "Online retailers shipping to Frankfurt save up to 50 percent time because goods are no longer taken abroad for customs clearance. At the same time, we retain full control of the shipments with our one-stop digital solution. We proactively inform our customers of the status of their shipments until they are handed over to the last mile carrier, while ensuring that goods from third countries are imported in compliance with regulations. We also ensure that imported goods do not sit idle in warehouses for weeks due to missing compliance checks. Our success in Frankfurt is based on our long-standing cooperation with customs authorities and the resulting trust in our expertise, as well as our reliable software, which ensures the availability of all customs-relevant data at the package level.”