To solve the congestion at Cat Lai port, HCM City, the General Department of Customs has given temporary instructions for customs procedures during the Covid-19 pandemic period.

Quick-fix solutions to release backlogged goods at Cat Lai port. Photo: T. H

Shipping goods from Cat Lai to other seaports in the area

Reviewing reports of Saigon Newport Company and HCM City Customs Department on the congestion of imported goods at Cat Lai port, the General Department of Customs has issued an urgent dispatch to give temporary instructions for customs procedures during the Covid-19 pandemic period.

Accordingly, the transportation of imported goods stored at Cat Lai port to other seaports in HCM City and inland ports/ inland container depots (ICD) must comply with specific conditions.

Regarding the conditions of goods which are eligible for being transported from Cat Lai port to other seaports and inland ports/ICD: Goods that are not on the list of imported goods that must go through customs procedures at the import border gate as prescribed in Decision 23/2019 of Prime Minister dated June 27, 2019; full container goods (bulk goods are not allowed); imported goods that have not yet been declared; goods that do not show suspicious or infringing signs and are being monitored and inspected by the competent authorities; the whole shipment that has same bill of lading and same storage

Goods are transported to seaports, inland ports/ICDs (referred to as locations) for storage, specifically:

Imported goods of enterprises in Dong Nai province will be transported to Tan Cang Long Binh ICD or Tan Cang Nhon Trach ICD.

Imported goods of enterprises in Binh Duong province will be transported to Tan Cang Song Than ICD.

Imported goods of enterprises in the western provinces are transported to Tan Cang Hiep Phuoc port.

Regarding customs procedures and inspection and supervision shall comply with the provisions of Article 51b of Circular 38/2015 of the Ministry of Finance as amended and supplemented in Circular 39/2018 dated April 20, 2018 of the Ministry of Finance.

The customs branch managing general storage locations shall make weekly reports the Saigon port zone I Customs Branch on goods in, out and stored at storages.

HCM City Customs Department shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the local Customs Departments and other relevant units to strictly manage each shipment from leaving Cat Lai port to delivering importers when they completed the customs procedures.

The Saigon Newport Corporation and the enterprises managing the locations where the goods are transported to are responsible for closely managing, monitoring and reporting on goods in, out or stored at storage locations for the customs branch in charge and are liable for contraband goods and non-customs goods to the inland

After the goods are transported to the storage locations, the Saigon Newport Corporation is responsible for notifying the storage locations to the shipping lines, the shipping agents, the goods owners.

The General Department of Customs said that the above guidelines are effective from issuing date of this dispatch (August 2, 2021) to the time after 15 days from the date the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City issues a notice to suspend the implementation of Directive 16 dated March 31, 2020 of the Prime Minister.

Instructions for storing and monitoring goods

For the storage and monitoring of backlogged goods, HCM City Customs Department allows Saigon Newport Corporation to transport backlogged goods that have completed counting, classification and valuation of backlogged goods according to regulations in Circular 57/2018 of the Ministry of Finance from Cat Lai port to Tan Cang Hiep Phuoc port.

HCM City Customs Department makes a list of backlogged goods reports General Department of Customs on solutions for backlogged goods from Cat Lai port to Tan Cang Hiep Phuoc port. .

Saigon Newport Corporation shall bear all transport and storage costs for backlogged shipments from Cat Lai port to Tan Cang Hiep Phuoc port and to the successfully handling of backlogged goods; and undertakes to take legal responsibility for the shortage.

The deadline to apply solution for storage and supervision of backlogged goods is until the end of December 31, 2021.

Regulating goods that have not been unloaded at Cat Lai port

Regarding the management of imported goods that have not been unloaded at Cat Lai port and imported goods that have been unloaded at Cai Mep port and are waiting for being loaded to move to Cat Lai port , Saigon Newport Corporation notifies import-export enterprises, shipping lines / shipping agents of congestion at Cat Lai port so that they may have a plan to unload and store goods at Cai Mep port, and at the same time, change the destinations from Cat Lai port into Cai Mep port so that importers can carry out import customs procedures in accordance with the law.

The General Department of Customs also suggested that Saigon Newport Corporation should propose specialized inspection agencies at seaports to speed up the inspection progress and return s inspection results to reduce customs clearance time for imported goods and quickly release of goods from the port.