PROCEDURE OF HANDLING IMPORT CONTAINERS WITH LOAD-PORT SEAL DAMAGED (OR) WITHOUT LOAD-PORT SEAL - Customs - PUBLIC NOTICE No. 140/2006

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FINANCE, DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS (PORT) CUSTOM HOUSE, NO.60 RAJAJI SALAI CHENNAI - 600 001 F. No. S. Misc. 13 / 2006-CMCC Dated: 20.09.2006 PUBLIC NOTICE No. 140/2006 SUB: PROCEDURE OF HANDLING IMPORT CONTAINERS WITH LOAD-PORT SEAL DAMAGED (OR) WITHOUT LOAD-PORT SEAL REG. Attention is invited to Para 2.1 of Public Notice No.319/2001 dated 04.12.2001 wherein the procedure if load-port seal is found to be damaged at the time of off-loading of import containers from the vessel has been laid down. 2. The Port Security Officer of the Chennai Port Trust had expressed concerns about security over the handling of such import containers with load-port seal damaged (or) without load-port seal for the purpose of implementation of the ISPS Code at Chennai Port. It was suggested that the existing procedure needs to be reviewed. Accordingly, it was decided during a joint meeting among Assistant Commissioner (Preventive- General), the Deputy Port Fire Security Officer and the representatives of M/s Chennai Container Terminal Limited (CCTL) that the following procedure shall be laid down under Para 2.1. a) When any Import container is noticed with Load-port seal damaged (or) without load-port seal at the time of unloading from the vessel, M/s CCTL shall immediately bring this fact to the notice of the Superintendent - Container Movement Control Cell (CMCC) in writing under intimation to the concerned Steamer Agent. b) M/s CCTL shall segregate and stack such containers with tampered seals near the out-gate, for effective supervision by the Preventive Officer stationed at the CMCC-Out-gate. The Preventive Officer stationed at CMCC-Out-gate will verify the correctness of the container with reference to Bill of Lading and affix a Customs One Time Seal. c) If such import containers with load-port seal damaged (or) without load-port seal are LCL containers, Customs One Time Seal shall be affixed on the container and moved to the O yard under preventive escort and shall be subjected to 100% examination by the Appraiser/Examiner posted at the O yard. d) If such import containers with load-port seal damaged (or) without load-port seal are FCL containers, Customs One Time Seal shall be affixed on the container and moved to a CFS indicated by the Steamer Agent; the containers thereafter shall be subjected to 100 % examination at the CFS by the Appraiser/ Examiner at the CFS. e) If during the course of 100% examination of such containers any objectionable goods are found, the fact of the same shall be brought to the notice of Assistant Commissioner/Deputy Commissioner (Docks) in charge of the CFS for necessary appropriate action. 3. The above envisaged procedure should be strictly complied with. Any difficulty in implementation may be brought to the notice of the Assistant Commissioner of Customs (Preventive), Custom House, Chennai. Sd/- (MADHU MOHAN DAMODHAR) COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS (IMPORTS)