Obligations of carriers - CBEC's Customs Manual 2023 - Customs

6. Obligations of carriers: 6.1 To regulate and have effective control on imports and exports the Customs Act, 1962 enjoins certain liabilities on the carriers. Thus, they have to bring in the cargo imported into the country for unloading only at notified ports/airports/Land Customs Stations; furnish detailed information to Customs about goods brought in for unloading at that particular port/international airport as also those which would be carried further to other ports/airports. Declaration of such cargo has to be made in an Import General Manifest(IGM) prior to arrival of the vessel/aircraft at the Customs station. In the case of imports through Land Customs Stations the person in charge of the vehicle has to give similar import report within 12 hours of its arrival. Since the cargo clearance formalities are linked generally with the availability of information about cargo being brought by a vessel for unloading at any port, provisions are also made for prior filing of an IGM if all details of relevant cargo for any port are available even before the vessel arrives. The final IGM can be filed after arrival of the vessel. 6.2 Unless, the IGM is furnished in the prescribed form, no unloading of cargo can be undertaken from any vessels/aircrafts/vehicles in normal circumstances. After the IGM is duly delivered the unloading takes place under the supervision of the Preventive Officers of Customs. The law prohibits unloading of any goods at a Customs station, which are not mentioned in the IGM/import report. Similarly, there are restrictions on loading for export such that no vessel/aircraft can begin loading goods for export unless intimation is given to Customs and its permission for loading obtained Outward what is also called Entry of the vessel . Loading of cargo on vessels, aircrafts etc. is checked and supervised by Preventive Customs Officers who ensure that cargo loaded has discharged the prescribed Customs formalities such as payment of duties or cess, where leviable, any other formalities enjoined by the law, and authorization for exports is duly given by the proper officer as a part of Customs clearance formalities. 6.3 The person in charge of the vessel/aircraft is required to furnish details of all the goods loaded on a vessel/aircraft in a prescribed form, which is termed 'Export General Manifest (EGM). The person in charge of a vehicle must furnish a similar report called Export Report . The EGM/Export Report is to be furnished before the vessel/aircraft/ vehicle departs and is essentially taken as the proof of shipment/export.