While comment has been
submitted on the rules and
regulations guiding the new
customs control act, another
area has cropped up where
the legislation will have a
substantial impact – the waste
removal off vessels.
“This legislation is going
to have such far-reaching
effects,” said an FTW
source who has studied the
legislation. “There are so many
changes on so many levels that
industry is well advised to
get up to speed with it sooner
rather than later.”
The removal of waste and
slops from vessels at South
African ports is nothing new
and no-one expected the new
customs control act to impact
this often forgotten sphere of
shipping.
“Under the new legislation
the removal of waste and
slops from ships will not
require a customs clearance
declaration. It will merely
have to be removed under
customs supervision,” said the
source. “This in itself does not
sound too problematic – only
that a significant portion
of this waste is recycled
and turned into saleable
products. If one were to sell
those products at any point in
future then one would need
a declaration as the product
will have been made from an
imported product, even if it is
waste that has been recycled
into a usable product.”
Masses of slops are
removed from vessels.
Recently some 3000 tons of
slops were taken off a vessel
in Cape Town.
“It’s not necessarily always
big amounts but it can be,”
said the source. “Also, any
viable product made from
recycling has to be declared.
Tracking the product back to
the vessel it came off is going
to be very difficult without
declarations in place.”
Essentially, any imports
that result in recoverable
waste, such as rebate entry
of rolls of fabric with usable
off-cuts, will require a
reduction of the import
declaration by the amount
of the usable waste, with
the usable waste being
declared on a separate
new entry within three
years of the date of import,
said the source.
INSERT
Under the new
legislation the
removal of waste
and slops from ships
will not require a
customs clearance
declaration.
