Trent 700 Engine: Derby → Riga in 38 Hours
A freshly overhauled Trent 700 on the UK side of a post-Brexit border. On the other side - an A330 waiting in Riga. Between them: a UK export declaration, a ferry booking, EU import clearance, and 38 hours to get it all done.
What happened
Since Brexit, moving aviation components from UK to EU is no longer a single-market transaction. A UK export declaration must be filed with HMRC. The engine needs a T1 transit document for crossing the continent. At the EU border, an import declaration with duty classification must be ready. For a 3,200 kg Trent 700, each document takes hours to prepare - and we had less than two days.
What made it difficult
- 13,200 kg - one of the heaviest single-engine road shipments
- 24.3 m × 2.4 m - requires extended low-loader
- 3Post-Brexit customs: UK export declaration + EU import clearance
- 4Zero damage tolerance on freshly overhauled engine
- 5Ferry crossing required (UK to continent)
How we handled it
Our UK customs broker filed the export declaration with HMRC while the engine was still being loaded in Derby. By the time the truck reached the ferry port, clearance was confirmed. Overnight crossing to Rotterdam. On the continent, our Latvian broker opened the EU import declaration and prepared the T1 transit. The engine crossed from Netherlands through Germany and Poland under a single T1 document, with import duty settled upon arrival in Riga. Total customs paperwork time: 6 hours across two jurisdictions.
Result
Post-Brexit widebody engine transport? We handle UK customs and delivery. +371 22302054 / aero@langino.lv