Circular No. ES/134/2020-21 14th May, 2020
To : Members of the Council
Sub: Mumbai Customs- Procedures to issue EDI Port Clearance/Advance Port Clearance
Dear Member,
Mumbai Customs has issued Public Notice No.33/2020 dated 5th May, 2020 regarding procedure to issue EDI Port Clearance/Advance Port Clearance.
Your kind attention is invited to the procedure of granting Port Clearance (P.C.)/Advance Port Clearance Certificate. The Port Clearance is granted in terms of Section 42 of Customs Act, 1962.
Following documents are required to be produced for Port Clearance alongwith application (Format of application is enclosed as Annexure-A).
Light Dues Certificate.
NOC from Immigration Department.
Port Health Certificate.
Income Tax Certificate (for Export Cargo)
Load Line Certificate.
Safety Radio Certificate.
Safety equipment Certificate.
Ship Registry Certificate.
Port Dues Certificate
On receipt of such application, concerned AC/DC shall verify correctness of entry inward & entry outward from system, light dues payment calculation, genuineness of all certificates for the concerned vessel, and thereafter, grant Port Clearance in EDI.
As per para 2 (ii) of Board’s circular No. 02/2015-Customs dated 15.01.2015, Export Commissionerate had adopted the procedure for issuing Advance Port Clearance certificate to the Shipping /Steamer Agents after taking Continuity Bond/Guarantee for the period of one year towards issuance of Port Clearance for vessels calling at Mumbai Port. After submitting continuity bond/guarantee, the shipping/steamer agents can apply for Advance port clearance with the following documents:
An application for Advance Port Clearance (Annexure-‘A’)
Copy of Ship Registry.
Light Dues payment receipt & rotation no.
Income Tax Certificate (for Export Cargo)
Accordingly, advance port clearance shall be issued by concerned AC./DC. Before granting Sailing permission, advance port clearance along with following documents should be checked by a preventive officer.
Inward clearance certificate for the vessel.
Outward clearance certificate for the vessel.
Immigration NOC for the Vessel
PHO Certificate for the Vessel.
Load Line Certificate.
Safety Radio Certificate.
Safety equipment Certificate
Certificates/documents not submitted at the time of advance port clearance are to be submitted to concerned AC/DC within 7 days from the sailing of the vessel by the Shipping /Steamer Agents.
The Shipping /Steamer Agents are required to undertake that the vessel will be neither carrying any dangerous drugs nor any consignments of Arms and Ammunition, fissionable material like Uranium, Plutonium, Thorium in the same bottom.
Advance Port Clearance once issued shall be valid for 03 days and same can be extended 03 times for three days each.
The Shipping/Steamer Agents should also bound themselves in event of any failure on their part to submit the above said documents within seven days from the sailing of the vessel, suitable action shall be initiated against them by the Customs as per provisions under Customs Act, 1962.
Due to the lockdown in light of COVID 19 enforced by the Government of India, the shipping/steamer agents have expressed their inability to submit the continuity bond in cases where the continuity bond expired on 31st March, 2020. However, they are submitting an undertaking that they will be providing a continuity bond/guarantee once the lockdown period is over.
In lieu of current circumstances, Mumbai Customs has allowed the same based on the undertaking as cited supra. They shall undertake to submit all the relevant documents as required within 7 days after sailing of the vessel as per past practices. Till the lockdown is over, scanned copies of above mentioned documents can be submitted via email id exportassessment2@gmail.com. After due verification of documents and that there is no alert against the Vessel, Port Clearance/ Advance Port Clearance Certificate duly signed by the competent authority will be uploaded on the sender email id with attachment. The Preventive officer allowing the vessel to sail should ensure that all the formalities are complied with prior to departure of vessel and also endorse the same on Port Clearance Certificate.
Please note that his Public notice shall come into effect immediately.
In case of any difficulty, the Shipping Lines/Steamer Agents may contact the Deputy/Assistant Commissioner of Customs, Export Assessment over phone no. 022-22757537.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
S.BALARAJU
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
