Extension of facility of Direct Port Delivery (DPD) at Adani Hazira Port, Surat to major manufacturer importers - Customs - PUBLIC NOTICF, NO: 07/2019-20

OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL COMMISSIONER, CUSTOMS, AHMEDABAD CUSTOM HOUSE, NEAR ALL INDIA RADIO, NAVRANGPURA, AHMEDABAD.3B0009 F. No. VIII/48-1161/Cus/T/2018 Dated:-25.04.2019 PUBLIC NOTICF, NO: 07/2019-20 Subject: Extension of facility of Direct Port Delivery (DPD) at Adani Hazira Port, Surat to major manufacturer importers Regarding. Attention of the Importers, Exporters, General Trade, Port Terminal Operators, Shipping Lines / Shipping Agents, CFSs coming under the jurisdiction of Ahmedabad Custom House, PGAs and all other stake holders is invited to the Public Notice No. 15/2014 dated 19.08.2014, regarding procedure in case of DPD clearance and Public Notice No. 06/2017 dated 15.02.2017 regarding procedure availing DPD facility. 1. Direct Port delivery-A key commitment in TEA In the backdrop or Government of India ratifying the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) of World Trade Organization (WTO), CBIEC has initiated far reaching changes in the interest of' genuine trade so that facilitation measures are in sync with the requirements of TFA. In order to keep up with the commitments of the TFA, CBIC has made operational a revamped AEO programme to benefit all stakeholders in the international supply chain. Direct Port Delivery (DPD) is a facility which is one of the key assurances of the AEO scheme for expedited clearance of goods directly from the Port, thereby reducing the transaction time and cost considerably for Trade and Industry. The following are direct benefits to the importer from the DPD facility: (i) The prompt and timely delivery by the port terminals will help in reducing inventory cost. (ii) Saving of transportation charges from port terminal to customs bonded warehouses/CFSs. (iii) Saving of handling and storage charges at warehouse/CFSs. (iv) Saving of container detention charges payable at shipping lines. (v) Delivery of DPD container at port terminals is on 24x7 basis 1.1 Broad banding of DPD facility In the present context, DPD facility is available to AEO status holders in terms of TFA and CBIC Circular No. 33/2016 dated 22/7/2016. Further, Public Notice No. 06/2017 dated 15.02.2017 was issued to facilitate trade for applying for DPD facility. This apart and in furtherance of trade facilitation, it has been proposed to broadband the number of importers who can avail DPD facility based on their past compliance levels, the percentage of RMS facilitated B/Es, volume of containers and based on the assessment by this office on their ability to comply with the conditions stipulated in this Public Notice. Accordingly, a list of all importers who have been brought within the purview of DPD is enclosed as Annexure A to this PN. For importers availing the DPD facility but subsequently coming under adverse notice, their DPD facility shall be withdrawn by the Competent Authority. In addition to the AEO clients and Importers mentioned in 'Annexure-A', those Manufacturer importers who are interested in availing the said facility may also apply to the Deputy Commissioner(DPD), Customs House, Adani Port, Hazira, Surat for processing of their request as per details in para 3 below. All AEO status holders are by default entitled for DPD facility. Those AEO holders who are not already registered for DPD facility at Adani Hazira Port, Customs, Sural shall file an intimation in Annexure- B to this PN to the Deputy Commissioner (DPD), Customs House, Adani Port, Hazira, Sural. 2. Scope of DPD facility The DPD facility shall be available only to Full Container Load (FCD containers under RMS facilitated Bills of' Entry except for the commodities which require drawl of samples by PGAs NOC. 3. Registration for DPD facility with Port Terminals: The Importers listed in Annexure-A shall send request letter and scanned copies of the following documents at [email protected]. (a) Request letter for availing DPD facility on the importer's letter head. (b) List of authorized signatories of the DPD importers. (c) Self-attested copies of PAN card. (Firm/ Company PAN card in the case of Partnership, Private Limited, Public Limited company and Proprietor's PAN in the case of proprietorship firm). (d) Letter of authorization given to the Custom Broker attending to such imports on behalf of the importer. (e.) Details of the company official with photos and signatures, in case of self- clearance Upon scrutiny of such applications by Deputy Commissioner, Customs House, Adani Port, Hazira, Surat, permission/ rejection will be e-mailed to registered email id of the Importer informing the basis of acceptance or rejection of the request. In case of acceptance, the letter of permission and the documents sent by the registered Importer shall be transmitted to the Port Terminals for processing of registration by Terminals and assigning DPD code. 4. Timelines for clearance of the DPD containers The DPD importers shall move out/ evacuate the containers within 2 days of its landing in the Terminal. The time limit of 2 days (i.e 48 hours) should be calculated from the time of landing of the containers in port yard or entry inward granted by Customs (in case of any system related issue), whichever is later. Note:- The time period of 2 days of landing shall be reckoned from the time the last container in the vessel makes its landing in the terminal. (i.e. The vessel laden with DPD container while discharging the said container shall factor in, the time limit only after having unloaded the last container in the DPD container laden vessel.) The terminal operators shall send an e-mail to DPD cell informing the date and time of the completion of unloading of the last container in the vessel. 5. Designated CFS for DPD containers In case DPD importers are unable to clear their containers within the above stipulated timelines, such containers shall be moved to CFSs as preferred by the importers in their advance intimation to shipping lines. In absence of importers exercising the preferred CFSs, the said containers will be moved En-block to any CFS as nominated by the Shipping Line. 6. Procedure for obtaining OOC from DPD/ RMS centralized Facilitation Centre:- 6.1 For facilitated Bills of Entry, the DPD Importer/ CB shall produce/submit the requisite, documents (same as being submitted presently before Officers giving Out of Charge in various CFSs) before the Appraiser/Superintendent posted at 'DPD Facilitation Centre'. The concerned officer shall register the Bill of Entry, scrutinize the documents and after being satisfied on the correctness of payment of Customs duty (including ADD or IGST or safeguard etc.), compliance of CCR Instructions etc., shall give 'out of charge' with a condition that verification of the Container No. and Seal No. shall be carried out by officers posted at the Terminal Gate. 6.2 The out-of-charge (OOC) copy of the B/E shall be signed by the concerned Appraiser/Superintendent with his name and seal and the same shall be handed over to the Importer/ CB. 7. Procedure for RMS facilitated Bills of Entry requiring PGA NOC without drawl of sample :- 7.1 The importer/CB on filing Advance/prior bill of entry get to know the PGA to which the B/E has been referred to. Immediately the importer/ CB shall submit an advance application with necessary documents to PGAs. In cases of consignments, where mere documents are scrutinized for grant of NOC (like the majority of cases in ADC) such RMS facilitated Bs/E may be cleared in DPD mode as outlined in para 6 above. 8. Role of importer and Custom Broker:- 8.1 Advance Intimation:- All DPD importers shall submit, at least 72 hours in advance, to the Shipping Lines through their registered e-mail IDs all details such as Bill of Lading No, Details of Consignment, Stacking code (see Para SI. No. 9.2), Preferred CFS (in case containers are out of scope of DPD facility as discussed in various paras of this PN), copy of Letter of DPD intimation/permission as per Annexure B to this PN. 8.2 Advance submission of Original Bill of Landing: After the submission of advance intimation to shipping line by Importer, the Shipping Lines/Agents shall by default generate an advance invoice immediately for port free days without waiting for request from the importer or up to the days if any advance request placed by the Importer/Customs Broker. After the receipt of advance Invoice, the Importer/Customs Broker shall make payments as per the invoice to the Shipping Lines/Agents (as per their mutual agreement) and submit the relevant documents viz 'Original copy of Bill of lading' duly endorsed to shipping line, well in advance before the arrival of the vessel and obtain advance e-DO from Shipping Lines/Agents. In case where Original Bill of Lading is not available then the importer shall submit Express BL, Surrender BL, Telex release and Seaway Bill through email to Liners. 8.3 The Importer/ Customs Broker shall file Advance Bill of Entry for such facility. The importers shall preferably discharge Customs duty and other dues to the respective stake holders in advance. 9. Responsibilities of Shipping Lines/ Agents:- 9.1 16M Code :- The CFS code shall be left blank by Shipping Line/Agents while filling the IGM . The blank column against the container number with a blank CFS code signifies that the said containers are DPD containers. 9.2 'Stacking Code': Shipping Lines/Agents shall, while filing IAL (Import Advance List) in respect the said DPD importers shall indicate the stacking CODES in the following manner and their treatment shall be as follows Sr. No. STATUS Stacking Code 1 DPD clients giving72 hours advance intimation regarding Preferred CFS. DCFS 2 DPD clients not given 72 hours advance intimation regarding preferred CFSs - En- block movement from Terminals to any CFS DDPD 9.3 Shipping Lines / Agents shall issue advance e- DO as per the procedure mentioned in the paras above. 9.4 Shipping Lines/Agents shall forward a copy of IAL for every vessel to Terminal well in advance before the berthing of the Vessel. 10. Responsibilities of Terminal Operators:- 10.1 Separate staking of DPD containers:- To ensure expeditious delivery of containers, Terminal operators shall stake the containers separately as per para 8.2 supra. (D DCFS containers (DPD Client opted for preferred CFS through Advance Intimation shall be staked separately in CFS stacks. (i .e. normal PNR containers staking). (iD Port terminals should mark the stacking code (DDPD/DCFS) on the EIR (Equipment Interchange Receipt) copy of DPD containers. 10.2 Advance intimation to Terminals if B/E is not RMS facilitated: In the case of non-facilitated B/Es the DPD importer shall intimate the Terminal Operator in advance through e-mail 10 slack their containers in preferred CFS stack rather than in DDPD stack. 10.3 In the following situations B/E is selected for examination (non- facilitated) RMS intervention by DPD facilitation centre Damaged container/Seal mis-match/Tempered seal On receipt of request from the Importer/CB, the Terminal shall facilitate delivery of those containers immediately to the Preferred CFS/designated CFS (depending upon whether the advance intimation was given to shipping line or not in terms of para 7.1 of this P N). It is clarified that the Terminals for moving out such containers need not wait for the time limit as stipulated under this Public Notice as these time limits are not applicable in such cases. 11. Containers held/detained by investigating agencies:- In cases where OOC is given by the DPD Facilitation Centre and it is subsequently noticed that the said B/E or any of the containers are under hold/detained by investigating agency like DRI, SIIB, etc., prior to delivery from the Terminal Gate, then the said B/E should be taken to the AC/DC (Docks) in charge of the DPD Facilitation Centre by the concerned CB/Importer for cancelling the out of charge and further examining the goods in the CFS as per procedure. The DPD Facilitation Centre will monitor transfer of container/s up to CFS. 12. Clarifications 12.1 Steamer Agents/Shipping lines shall pot Insist/impose any extra condition on the Importer (Deposits/documents/extra DPD charges etc.) to anvil DPD facility. Steamer Agents should not charge any direct/Indirect charges for moving DPD containers to Preferred CFS of the DPD importer. 12.2 Permission from Participatory Government Agencies (PGAs) for DPD condition are to be done priority basis. 13.Monthly reports on DPD: 13.1 Terminal Operators Shall submit a monthly report with details of DPD to Additional Commissioner/Joint Commissioner in charge DPD Facilitation Centre' giving details in the prescribed proforma set out in Annexure C, 13.2 Importers availing facility or DPD shall submit a monthly report through email in the prescribed set out as Annexure D. Enel- Annexure- A, B, C D (Sanjay Kumar Aggarwal) Principal Commissioner of Customs