FROM JANUARY 1 Customs is to withdraw concessions dating from the early 80s relating to clearance of cargo. The move follows the development of a system of direct electronic release instructions from Customs district offices to depot and terminal operators in their areas of control. The system has been developed in close consultation with SAAFF (SA Association of Freight Forwarders), depot operators, Portnet and Spoornet, Customs director Gavin Collinett told FTW.
In terms of the new ruling:
# bills of entry will only be processed at Customs offices to which goods are consigned and physically delivered; and
# bills of entry which have been passed at a point to which goods were consigned will only be used to take delivery of the goods at that point.
This outlaws previous concessions granted in the early eighties which allowed shippers to:
# clear cargo manifested for and delivered to Johannesburg in Durban, Port Elizabeth and Pretoria; and
# take delivery in Durban of FCL containers manifested for and cleared in Johannesburg which had not been stopped or detained.
The historical reasons for granting certain of these concessions no longer apply today and their withdrawal has to be weighed up against the need for effective and efficient Customs controls, Collinet said.
