KARACHI: Pakistan Customs has introduced the facility of pre-arrival Customs clearance for import cargo at Karachi Port and Port Qasim to facilitate the trade. The facility was formally inaugurated in a ceremony held at South Asia Pakistan Terminal (SAPT) Karachi on Friday 5th November.

On this occasion, the Chief Collector of Customs Appraisement (South-Region) Wajid Ali apprised the representatives of trade bodies about the features and benefits of pre-arrival Customs clearance. He explained that according to the legal provisions of Customs Act, 1969, the importers can file their goods declarations ten days prior to expected time of arrival of the vessel.

The pre-arrival clearance module enables the Customs Risk Management System to evaluate the goods declarations filed in Customs' WeBOC system and clear the same in case no further assessment of duties, fulfilment of regulatory requirement or physical examination of goods is required. The WeBOC system intimates the importer and the terminal operator about the pre-arrival clearance of consignment by Customs which can be delivered to the importer immediately upon discharging of cargo after the berthing of ship.

Pre-arrival clearance system is likely to reduce the port dwell time and address the issue of port congestion faced at the sea ports. It will immensely benefit the trade by reducing the time and cost of doing business. As more than 50 percent of import containers are being cleared by Customs through its green channel facility such traders can obtain immediate delivery of their consignments from sea ports without any delay or further Customs formalities by availing the pre-arrival clearance facility.

The facility has potential to immediately clear more than 500,000 TEUs annually from the sea ports. The Chief Collector of Customs Appraisement (South) called upon the port operators to make necessary arrangements for immediate delivery of the containers cleared by Customs through pre-arrival clearance facility and encouraged the trade representatives to avail the facility. In the ceremony, the direct delivery of a container cleared by Customs prior to the berthing of the ship at the port was witnessed.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021