Catch 22

I have at last received what I think must be a definitive reply concerning my filing an import customs declaration for my soon-to-be-arriving mini excavator…

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Since the Fos Port St Louis office does not have a payment terminal and therefore cannot collect duties, we cannot process your customs declaration as an individual.

Furthermore, port storage fees (demurrage) are very high.

I therefore advise you to contact a customs agent to complete the necessary procedures as soon as possible.

Here are the agents located in the building that houses our office, who are trusted brokers:

{List of agents}

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So that appears to be it. Yes, you can file a declaration as a private individual I was told back last year, but the mechanism to do so isn’t available at the port of entry (Fos-su-Mer).

Highly frustrating and very disappointing after all this time having been passed from pillar to post. And potentially quite expensive but I won’t know until I’ve obtained the numbers from the agents.