Single Window, 24X7 customs clearances speeding import consignments through ports

NEW DELHI: The data from the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) indicates that the average dwell time for cargo has decreased by at least one day at Major Ports across the Country.

Dwell time measures the time between the arrival of cargo at a port and its departure from the premises after all permits and clearances have been obtained.

“We have introduced a number of measures such as single window clearance and 24X7 customs clearance aimed at promoting ease of doing business as well as trade facilitation. Our objective is to reduce the dwell time even more,” said a senior CBEC official.

For instance, the average dwell time at the Jawaharlal Nehru Customs House has reduced to eight days, four hours and 40 minutes in June 2016 from nine days and one hour in July 2015. The time taken for customs clearance has also decreased.

Similarly, the average dwell time at Sahar Airport, Mumbai has come down to four days, 17 hours and 28 minutes in June 2016 from five days and 12 hours in July last year.

This is especially useful for food items as well as other commodities such as medicines that in the past had to often face long delays running into several months.

The single window clearance system for the customs authorities, which started from April 1 this year, allows importers and exporters to electronically lodge their Customs clearance documents at a single point.

Permissions from partner Government agencies such as Animal Quarantine, Plant Quarantine, Drug Controller, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, Textile Committee are also obtained online.

This online clearance under Single Window Project has been rolled out at main ports and airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai so far. It will be gradually extended across the Country.

Similarly, India is now a part of select countries allowing trade facilitation through round the clock or 24x7 customs clearance for specified goods at 18 sea ports and 17 air cargo complexes.

“This helps in faster clearance of such imported goods, reduces dwell time and lowers the transaction cost,” noted the official. Noting that the Government has taken various steps to reduce the cargo release time and the transaction costs of Export-Import trade, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had announced in the Union Budget that the single window clearance system will be implemented at Major Ports and airports starting from the beginning of next financial year.

Source: - Dailyshippingtimes.com