Ferry bookings · Ireland and Great Britain
Freight ferry bookings, with the customs paperwork attached
C&L Declarations books freight ferry crossings between Ireland and Great Britain through our logistics partners, and prepares the customs filings the vehicle needs to board. It suits hauliers, van operators and businesses moving their own goods: the booking, the PBN, the GMR and the declarations all come from one contact. We work across Ireland, Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
Talk to our team
Send us the invoice and the route. We reply the same working day.
WhatsApp or call: 086 846 1240
Email: service@cldeclarations.com
Hours: Mon–Fri, 8am–5pm
What does a truck need before it boards an Irish Sea ferry?
A freight booking and a pre-boarding notification (PBN). Revenue requires a PBN for every vehicle booked in as freight on a RoRo ferry, even an empty one, and a vehicle without a PBN at 'Good to proceed to check-in' is not allowed to board. On GB routes that use HMRC's Goods Vehicle Movement Service, the vehicle also needs a goods movement reference (GMR), presented at the port of departure.
What crossings do we book?
Accompanied trucks and vans
The driver travels with the vehicle. We book the crossing and send the driver the booking, PBN and GMR.
Unaccompanied trailers
The trailer crosses without a driver and is collected at the other port. The GMR uses the trailer or container number instead of a vehicle registration.
Empty legs
An empty truck, van or trailer booked as freight still needs a PBN, and HMRC wants a GMR for an empty trailer. We book the leg and create the references.
One-off crossings
A business moving its own equipment or stock once, including goods going to Great Britain for repair and coming back.
Why book the ferry and the customs together?
Because the booking and the customs references have to line up. The PBN lists the MRN of every declaration for the goods on board, the GMR carries the vehicle or trailer registration, and both must be ready before the vehicle checks in. When we hold the booking and file the declarations, the sailing, the registration and the references match from the start. If the sailing changes, we update the paperwork too.
What do you need to send us for a ferry booking?
✓ Route, and preferred sailing date and time
✓ Truck or van registration, and trailer number
✓ Accompanied (driver travelling) or unaccompanied
✓ Vehicle length, and whether it's loaded or empty
✓ The driver's mobile number
✓ Commercial invoices for the goods on board
✓ Any dangerous goods on board, with UN numbers
Questions we get asked
Frequently asked questions
Can you book an empty truck or trailer on a ferry?
Yes, and it still needs the paperwork. Revenue requires a PBN for every commercial vehicle or trailer checked in as freight on a RoRo ferry, even when it's empty. HMRC also says you need a GMR to move an empty trailer on routes that use its Goods Vehicle Movement Service, and on those routes we create one for an empty truck too. We book the leg and set up both.
Who creates the PBN, the haulier or the customs agent?
The haulier is responsible for the PBN, but Revenue allows it to be delegated to the declarant, importer, exporter, clearance agent or logistics company. When we book your crossing and file the declarations, we create the PBN and check it shows 'Good to proceed to check-in' before the driver leaves for the port.
Can you book a ferry for a van carrying goods?
Yes. We book freight crossings for vans carrying commercial goods as well as for trucks and trailers. Booked as freight, a van needs a PBN and the same customs declarations as a truck, plus a GMR on GB routes that use GVMS. Send the registration, the route and what's on board, and we'll quote the crossing and the paperwork together.
What happens when the truck arrives at Dublin or Rosslare?
About 30 minutes before the ferry docks, the channel for the PBN is ready: exit the port, or call to Customs. Revenue texts it to any mobile number on the PBN, and the driver can also check it on Revenue's Customs RoRo Service. If the truck is called to Customs, we deal with Revenue and send the documents they ask for until the goods are released.
Can the paperwork be changed if the sailing changes?
Yes, up to check-in. Revenue lets a PBN be edited until it's given to the ferry company at check-in, and HMRC lets a GMR be updated until it's used at check-in. After that both are locked. If the sailing, the vehicle or the load changes, tell us straight away and we update the references, so the driver isn't turned away at the port.
Send us the route and the registration
WhatsApp or call 086 846 1240, email service@cldeclarations.com, use the quote form, or message us in the website chat. We reply the same working day, Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 17:00. Messages sent after 17:00 or at the weekend are answered the next working day.
Or email service@cldeclarations.com · Replies the same working day