New RIB rules could delay clearance

AFTER CHANGES in the acceptance and processing of removal in bond (RIB) entries introduced by customs during the course of last month, more procedural changes were made on November 1.
These apply to those who make use of bonded warehouses for the storage of dutiable imported items.
Now, warehousing bills of entry may only be processed by the customs office that has jurisdiction over the applicable bond store. This means that goods imported through Johannesburg International Airport (JIA), for example, and stored in a bond store in the city, can no longer have the warehousing entry passed at JIA.
In practical terms, it means a detailed RIB bill of entry must be passed at the airport - then a warehousing entry must be passed at Johannesburg office.
A major forwarder indicated that this double documentation would be an additional expense for importers.
It could also see delays in clearance, FTW was told, because of customs' new requirement that RIB entries must be a line-by-line representation of the goods imported.