Receiving better support and better understanding of policies and more favourable procedures are the assessments of businesses when implementing procedures at Ba Ria-Vung Tau Customs Department. Therefore, many firms have decided to move all imported and exported goods to implement procedures in the area although they have to accept long-distance transportation.

An exchange session for solving problems of Hyosung Company
at Cai Mep Customs Branch. Photo: N.H

Help firms to better understand the policy

As a company headquartered in Binh Duong Province, in the past, VAS Steel An Hung Tuong Limited Liability Company opened declarations and carried out import and export procedures for goods at Cat Lai port. However, facing overloads, the company's goods were stuck at ports many times, causing an increase of detention and storage charge. Since there were only a few consignments implementing customs procedures at Cai Mep Customs Branch (Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department), in 2018, the company transferred all import and export activities of the company to there for implementing procedures. Tran Quoc Toan, Manager of Import - Export Division of VAS Steel An Hung Tuong Limited Liability Company, said he was very satisfied with this change. According to Toan, since the day of moving to Cai Mep for customs procedures, the company has been facilitated and guided very meticulously. With each new policy regulation, Cai Mep branch held a conference to guide businesses. As a result, firms have a better understanding of policy regulations.

“When we implemented customs procedures at Cai Mep, we had to go a hundred kilometres to transport the goods, but we still feel very comfortable. The reason is that, actually, saving costs of towing containers was not necessarily effective compared to avoiding problems. If encountering problems, storage charges per day will be more than VND 2 million/container,” Toan shared.

As a logistics enterprise, Hai Minh Trading - Import - Export Co., Ltd. regularly opens declarations for import - export enterprises at Phu My Customs Branch and many other units. Luu Thi Minh Hien, Director of Hai Minh Import-Export Trading Co., Ltd. assessed the business support of Phu My Customs Branch and Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department was done very well and all problems were solved very quickly.

Nguyen Thi Ha Thu - Import-Export Division, Hyosung Company, said that Hyosung company began importing machinery and equipment to build a factory in Ba Ria - Vung Tau from 2018 and the company has come into operation concurrently. Accordingly, from 2018 up to now, the company has faced many problems in the process of importing machinery and equipment and importing new chemical products for manufacturing. However, all problems were promptly removed by the Cai Mep Customs Branch as well as Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department.

“Besides the times when company’s employees went to the headquarters of customs authorities to ask about problems, the officials and leaders of the customs branch also regularly came to the company headquarters to exchange, grasp and remove problems. Thanks to that, all procedures were implemented very smoothly and quickly,” Thu said.

Expanding Customs - business partnership

As mentioned above, the positive comments and assessments of firms have shown the effectiveness of business support of Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department in recent years. Deputy Director of Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department Bui Sy Duc said over the years, the unit has always been in the leading group of Ba Ria - Vung Tau province in administrative procedure reform.

Besides implementing activities under the General Department of Vietnam Customs direction, the unit has held many conferences to capture and remove problems for businesses on each specific topic every year. In 2020, although the Covid-19 pandemic was very complex, taking advantage of the stable period, Ba Ria Vung - Tau Customs Department also held a conference on consultation with the investor of the Petrochemical Complex in the South of Vietnam Project and construction contractors and contractors' customs brokers; conference with shipping lines, shipping agents and specialised agencies.

Organising consultation conferences is one of the activities that are highly appreciated by the firms of Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department because of its effectiveness in promptly responding to difficulties and problems in the process of implementing and at the same time helping the customs authority to grasp the actual situation, supporting the advising policy of the unit.

In particular, the Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department determined the development of the Customs – Business partnership is one of the unit's key tasks in customs development and modernisation.

In 2020, Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department signed a cooperation deal to develop regular partnerships with three enterprises, including: one import-export enterprise that was San Fang Vietnam Co., Ltd. and two enterprises operating port, warehouse, yard that were Tan Cang Cai Mep International Port Company Limited and the branch of PetroVietnam Technical Services Corporation - Petroleum Service Port Company. These are typical firms in complying with customs laws and actively working in the implementation of the Customs Law and Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department has reviewed, selected and invited to sign cooperation.

Along with that, the unit will continue to reform and simplify administrative procedures in the customs field towards modernisation, publicity and transparency to contribute to improving the business environment, attracting capital investment, creating an attraction for the business community. In particular, the unit will research and implement the new model on quality inspection and food safety inspection for import goods that have been approved by the General Department of Vietnam Customs.