Vessels, calling at Pakistani ports, would have to file import general manifest (IGM) electronically 24 hours before their arrival to help the customs do ground work for swift clearance of cargo under the forthcoming Customs Administrative Reform (Care). The new rules for arrival and departure of vessels from Pakistani ports to be notified by the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) provide that the shipping companies would be allowed to make on line amendments to the IGM within 12 hours before the expected time of arrival (ETA) reported to the customs.
Ship agents of the vessels with short run ports would be given six hours to make amendments to the IGM. Before the new rules, the ship agents were required to file the AGM within 24 hours after the berthing of the vessel.
Under the new rules, the ship agents would have to file the IGM separately for different consignments of goods loaded on one vessel and they would also be responsible for making amendments to the details of goods arriving from a particular vessel.
The customs has simplified the IGM documents earlier consisting of 27 pages into one computer document to be known as carrier declaration (CD) for use in the Care project.
Under the new rules, the vessels heading for Pakistan were required to report to four departments namely the customs, Karachi Port Trust, health department and Mercantile Marine Department. Under the new rules, vessels would report their ETA to the customs only.
With the start of Care project, the ship agents would be allowed to get registration of their vessels 15 days ahead of their arrival.
The rules for departure of vessels have been simplified by exempting the shipping company or the master of the vessel from filing the export general manifest (EGM).
Cranes loading cargo on the vessel at the Karachi International Container Terminal (KICT) have been linked with the customs mainline computer through electronic data interchange (EDI).
The system would communicate details of cargo loaded onto the vessel. Similarly, the system of issuing mate receipt (MR) to the exporters as a proof of shipment has been done away with.
The MR was required by the exporters to file duty drawback claim with the customs. Sources at the Collectorate of Appraisement said on Monday that the rules for advance filing of the IGM had been framed to enable the customs to allow clearance of about 60 percent to 70 percent imports on the basis of selectivity criteria.
The Care project, due to be launched on March 23 at the KICT, is aimed at cutting the time for the customs processing time for clearance of cargo from existing five days to four hours.
The new vessels arrival and departure rules also cover boarding and rummaging, supplies to the vessel, grant of port clearance, persons entering or leaving the customs port, vessels stores declaration, crew and passenger effect list, transit and transshipments, and declaration of temporary imported containers etc.
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