All customs clearing activities conducted for the U.S. Navy and Missile Defense Agency in northern Poland are managed by Naval Supply Systems Command Fleet Logistics Center Sigonella's (NAVSUP FLC's) team of Customs Clearing Officers (CCO) stationed at Naval Support Facility (NSF) Redzikowo, Poland.

For the CCO team there and all other CCO teams working in Europe, compliance with customs laws of host nations is critical to fostering the mutual bonds of trust required to ensure the uninterrupted movement of U.S. government cargo, equipment and property across the host nations’ borders.

These customs professionals are required to learn quickly all local customs procedures and strictly enforce them when issuing customs documentation in order to avoid violating host nation customs laws that can result in a degradation of the relationship between the two countries and also penalties that range from fines to imprisonment.

Since mid-2018, members of NAVSUP FLC Sigonella’s CCO team in Poland have been spearheading efforts to develop a joint cooperation statement between the U.S. and Poland that would serve to promote the streamlining of customs procedures for U.S. government-owned goods being shipped into and out of Poland.

CAPT Jon Grant, NSF Redzikowo Commander, joined Tomasz Słaboszowski, Director of Revenue Administration Office, Gdansk, Poland to sign the joint cooperation statement in Redzikowo, Poland April 10.

As NAVSUP FLC Sigonella's Supply Chain Director, Jeff Criger manages guidance and provides oversight for 60 of the Navy's customs clearance officers assigned in Navy Region Europe, Africa, Southwest Asia (COMNAVEURAFSWA).

“Although this recently-signed cooperation statement is not legally binding, it does signify a significant leap of bolstering the relationship between our customs team in Redzikowo and our allies in Poland," Criger said.

To make the arrangement possible, NAVSUP FLC Sigonella’s customs team coordinated with U.S. Navy leaders and legal advisors at NAVSUP and COMNAVEURAFSWA to ensure such an arrangement would be beneficial to both parties.

LT Matthew Fisher, NAVSUP FLC Sigonella's customs supply officer at NSF Redzikowo, led efforts to bring the signing parties together.

“Critical to making this joint statement a reality was to align interests across a broad spectrum of stakeholders and government agencies, including Europe Command EC-J4 Customs, COMNAVEURAFSWA, the US Embassy in Warsaw and the Polish Regional Customs Branch, in Gdansk, Poland,” Fisher said.

“Now that the document is signed, our customs team of CCO’s plan to expeditiously work hand-in-hand with their Polish Customs counterparts to draft country specific guidance for possible inclusion in the U.S. Transportation Command, Defense Transportation Regulations,” he added. “Doing so should help clarify and streamline day-to-day operations for any defense organization seeking to import or export cargo into or out of Poland.”

NAVSUP FLC Sigonella is one of NAVSUP's eight globally-positioned logistics centers that provides for the full range of the Fleet's military operations. NAVSUP FLC Sigonella delivers solutions for logistics, business and support services to the Navy, Military Sealift Command, Joint and Allied Forces throughout Navy Region Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia.