Simplification of Customs procedures for shipping - Customs - PUBLIC NOTICE No. 05/2015

OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS NEW CUSTOMS HOUSE, PANAMBUR, MANGALORE - 575 010 C. No. S-26/01/2015 Cus. Tech DATED: 21.01.2015 PUBLIC NOTICE No. 05/2015 Sub: Simplification of Customs procedures for shipping-reg. Attention of all importers, exporters, CHA's and Members of the trade is invited to Board's Circular No. 02/15-Customs dated 15.01.2015 (issued from File F No 450/221/2014-Cus IV) wherein recommendations of Committee set up by Ministry of Shipping for simplification of shipping related Customs procedures has been examined. Accordingly, the Board has taken following decisions to streamline the extant f procedures at various ports:- (i) It is reported that the number of hard copies of import General Manifest (IGM) filed by shipping lines/steamer agents varies from 2 to 6 at various ports. Board, has noted that the Customs is already receiving the IGM electronically as well. The requirement of large number of hard copies of this document leads to unnecessary escalation of compliance cost. Therefore, taking into account the requirement of Customs as well the fact that an electronic version of IGM is already available, Board has decided that henceforth the number of hard copies of IGM required to be submitted by shipping lines/ steamer agents at Customs House shall be restricted to 2 (two) only. (ii) The Port clearance requires submission of numerous documents on behalf of other agencies- Lighthouse Dues certificates, NOC for immigration, Port Health Certificates etc. At present, the port clearance is given on the strength of a bond and a guarantee which are given each time a vessel enters. As a measure of simplification, Board has decided to give an option to the steamer agent to (a) give a continuity bond and (b) merge the guarantee with the continuity bond. This would reduce the number of required documents from 2 (two) to I (one) and periodicity (of submission) would also get reduced drastically. (iii) In case of trans shipped cargo, Shipping lines send multiple hard copies of 'Sub Manifest Transshipment Permit' (SMTP) to the destination ICD despite the same also being transmitted electronically. However, there may be situations warranting hard copy of the document such as when amendments have to be made. Recognizing the need for reducing number of copies of SMTP, Board has decided that only I(One) copy of SMPT would be sufficient and Customs at ICD should not insist on more number of hard copies of SMPT. (iv) Currently, separate permissions are required whenever the mode of transport of transshipment containers changes from train to road or vice-versa. The view is that this may be dispensed with since the carrier has already executed a bond for safe carriage of the goods to the destination port / ICD. With a view to boost inter- modal transportation of transshipped cargo and simply procedure, Board has decided that henceforth no separate permission is required from jurisdictional customs in case of change of mode of transshipment under the Goods Imported (Conditions of Transshipment) Regulations, 1995. However, the carrier is required to intimate the change to the jurisdictional Commissioner of Customs who will ensure the bond covers both modes of transport. (D. PURUSHOTHAM) COMMISSIONER