Carriage of coastal cargo from one Indian Port to another Port in vessels carrying out coastal runs-reg. - Customs - 74/2016

OFFICE OF THE PR. COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS (GENERAL) NEW CUSTOM HOUSE, BALLARD ESTATE MUMBAI-400001 F.NO. S/43-176/2016-17 P Dated: 26.07.2016 PUBLIC NOTICE NO. 74/2016 Sub: Carriage of coastal cargo from one Indian Port to another Port in vessels carrying out coastal runs-reg. Attention of all the Importers, Exporters, Custom Brokers, Steamer Agents, Trade and all others concerned is invited to Notification No.43/97-cus dated 11.09.1997(since subsequently rescinded),15/98-cus dated 27.02.1998 and Circular No.40/97-cus 19.09.1997 regarding the procedure for carriage of coastal cargo from one Indian port to another port in vessels carrying out coastal runs simplified is as below. 2. The procedure for movement of coastal goods has been simplified to bring down the transaction cost and to give fillip to the development activities in the coastal cities. The Ministry of Shipping has relaxed the cabotage restrictions to encourage movement of coastal goods. Vessels like Ro Ro (Roll on Roll off), PCC (Pure Car Carriers), Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTC), LNG Vessels, Over-Dimensional Cargo or Project Cargo carriers etc are covered under the new relaxed policy guidelines for period of five year i.e. up to 1st September 2020. The Central Board of Excise Customs vide Circular No.14/2016-Cus issued vide F.No.450/183/2014 Cus IV dated 27.04.2016 has simplified the procedure in respect of carriage of coastal cargo from one Indian Port to another Port in vessels carrying out coastal runs. The procedure prescribed therein is as follows A) All coastal vessels carrying exclusively coastal goods and operating from coastal or EXIM berths shall be exempted from the provision of Section 92,93,94,95,97 and sub-section (1) of Section 98 of the Customs Act,1962. The exemption from the provisions of Section 95 was not available earlier. A new notification No.56/2016-Cus (N.T) dated the 27th April 2016 has been issued in this regard. B) (i) In the case of coastal vessels loading or unloading coastal goods at EXIM berths, provisions of Section 30 41 of the Custom Act, 1962 have been made applicable. A new format for filing a coastal manifest in respect of such vessels has been issued vide Public Notice No.39/2016 dated 06.05.2016. The Master of the vessel or his agent shall submit a coastal manifest to the proper officer as prescribed in Public Notice No.39/2016 dated 06.05.2016. (a) A coastal arrival manifest for the goods which are unloaded or meant to be carried forward to other destination ports. (b) Coastal departure manifest for the goods loaded including goods on board for other destinations. B) (ii) The arrival and departure coastal manifests shall be prepared in duplicate. The original shall be submitted to the proper officer and duplicate would be retained by the Master of the vessel or his agent. The arrival manifest is submitted before the arrival of the vessel and the departure manifest is submitted before the departure of vessel. C) The revised procedure shall apply to Indian vessels, Indian flag foreign vessels or foreign vessels eligible for cabotage relaxation vide No. SR 14020/5/2009MG/CS/Vol.VII dated 02/09/2015 issued by the Ministry of Shipping. D) In the case of cabotage covered foreign vessels, the relaxation shall be coterminous with the said order of the Ministry of Shipping. E) The container carrying coastal goods shall be clearly marked with the words For coastal Carriage Only on all sides. There shall be no examination of the coastal goods, the container shall be sealed with tamper proof one time bottle seal and then the same can be loaded on to the vessel. F) Non-containerised cargo shall also be allowed to be loaded on to the vessel provided it is clearly marked on the packing For Coastal Carriage Only to make it easily identifiable. G) The preventive officers with the prior approval of Additional Commissioner/Joint Commissioner (Preventive wing) may from time to time carry out random checks so as to ensure that no export or imported goods are inadvertently or by intention loaded on to such coastal vessels. H) Circular No.40/97-Cus has been withdrawn by the Board. The existing procedure stipulated in Circular No.15/2002-Cus insofar as the vessels carrying both EXIM and coastal cargo shall continue to be followed. 3. Difficulties, if any in implementation of these instructions, may be brought to the notice of the undersigned. Sd/- PR. COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS (G) MUMBAI ZONE I, MUMBAI