In early September, the AsstrA team attended several offsite trainings on warehouse logistics.  A group of department heads, forwarders, and sales specialists visited the AsstrA customs offices in Minsk as well as customs warehouses in the Minsk Free Trade Zone (FEZ) and the Great Stone Industrial Park.

Natalia Murzich

At these locations, the visitors got acquainted with how customs processes work, the Great Stone Industrial Park’s equipment and operations, and the Minsk FEZ’s temporary storage depots (TSDs). Natalia Murzich, Head of the Customs Department at AsstrA Belarus, explains more about the trainings.

“At the on-site trainings, the organizers presented information about the technical capacities and comprehensive advantages of temporary storage warehouses, customs warehouses, and commercial warehouses. They also talked about storage rules for temperature-controlled goods and reviewed the non-tariff aspects of customs regulations, such as phytosanitary and veterinary inspections. The organizers gave a tour of the phytosanitary inspection office, where samples are analyzed.

“The AsstrA team got acquainted with relevant procedures and watched the process of applying excise taxes, stickers, and identification marks. They also learned more about the warehouses’ security protocols and technical equipment and received expert answers to questions that arose regarding warehouse services and customs procedures.

“During the visit to the customs offices at the Minsk FEZ and Great Stone Industrial Park customs clearance points, AsstrA specialists from Minsk, Brest, Moscow, Kiev and St. Petersburg had a firsthand view of how the accuracy and efficiency of customs procedures are ensured. They also got acquainted with the layout of production and storage areas, bonded warehouses, and CCPs.

Customs warehouses are an important part of transport logistics workflows and supply chains in general. They provide integrated technologies supporting inventory management, transport flows, and prompt delivery of goods without delays at customs checkpoints, temporary storage warehouses, or internal PTO customs control zones.

Warehouse operators are responsible for the inventory management technology that handles the collection, storage, processing, and distribution of goods.

The on-site training provided a detailed description of many aspects of customs warehouse operations, including workflow stages, processes, equipment, zoning, and monitoring capabilities. The knowledge and experience gained by the AsstrA Customs Department will benefit their colleagues from other departments, expand the company's competencies, and strengthen AsstrA’s mutual cooperation with partners and suppliers.