Customs clearance and freight forwarding

Clearance at Britain's four biggest container gateways, and every UK port and airport beyond.

Felixstowe, London Gateway, Southampton and Liverpool, handled by one team, with clearance nationwide and air freight covered. Send your documents and we take it from there.

Import and export declarations on HMRC's Customs Declaration Service (CDS) Clearance at every UK sea port and airport Quotes within one working day Fourwaters Freight Limited, company no. 16203964
How it works

From documents to delivery in four steps.

Send us your documents

Commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading or air waybill. That is usually all we need to start.

We check and classify

We check the paperwork, confirm commodity codes and tell you exactly what duty and VAT to expect.

We submit your declaration

Your entry goes to HMRC's Customs Declaration Service and we deal with any holds or queries directly.

Your goods are cleared and moving

Released at the port or airport, then hauled, handled or stored, whatever your shipment needs next.

Why Fourwaters

Built by importers, for importers and exporters.

One team across four lanes

The same people handle your cargo whether it lands at Felixstowe, London Gateway, Southampton or Liverpool. No handoffs between branches.

Plain-English answers

Duty, VAT, commodity codes and documents explained in plain language, with the procedure names in brackets where they help.

A promise with a number on it

Quotes within one working day. Phones answered Monday to Friday, 08:30 to 17:30, on 0161 262 0189.

The name

The story behind the four waters.

The Orwell at Felixstowe. The Thames at London Gateway. The Solent at Southampton. The Mersey at Liverpool. Four rivers carry most of Britain's containerised trade, and we built our business on all four of them.

Read the full story on our About page.

Importer questions

The questions every shipper asks first.

What documents do you need to clear my shipment?

For most shipments we need three things: your commercial invoice, your packing list and the transport document (bill of lading for sea, air waybill for air), plus your EORI number. Some goods need extra paperwork, for example health certificates for food or plant products, and we tell you exactly what applies before your cargo arrives.

How long does customs clearance take?

Once your documents are complete we submit the declaration the same working day. Most entries are released promptly after submission unless HMRC or port health select the shipment for checks. If a hold happens we monitor it and chase it until your goods are released.

How much does customs clearance cost?

Clearance costs vary with cargo type, port and paperwork, so we quote each job. Send us the details and you will have an itemised quote within one working day, with any extras such as amendments or out-of-hours work priced up front.

Can you clear goods at a port you are not based at?

Yes. Customs declarations are submitted electronically through HMRC's Customs Declaration Service, so we clear goods at every UK sea port and airport. Our home strength is Felixstowe, London Gateway, Southampton and Liverpool.

Got a shipment on the water or in the air?

Call 0161 262 0189 or send the details and we will come back within one working day.