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FBR Tightens Regulations for International Transshipment Shipping Lines

The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has tightened customs regulations for the shipping lines engaged in the international transshipment of containers and bulk cargo in Pakistan.

The FBR revised the regulations for the shipping lines through an amendment in the Customs Rules 2001 on Thursday.

The FBR has explained the procedure to specify penalty on shipping lines for committing delay in clearance of transshipment goods.

In case of any hazardous material left at the port, the concerned shipping line will be responsible to take the cargo back to the port of origin.

The new rules revealed that the International Transshipment (IT) goods shall not be subject to payment of import or export duties and taxes, provided the activities are in conformity with these rules.


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If the goods stored for transshipment are not transshipped within thirty days of their arrival, a notice shall be sent to the shipping line or its agent at the address provided in the shipping documents for transshipment of goods from the port.

An extension of up to 30 days may be granted for the storage of such goods once a written request mentioning the reasons for the delay in the removal of goods is submitted to the concerned Assistant Collector of Customs and such a request is approved by him.

If the goods remain on the port after sixty days of their arrival, the shipping line shall be responsible to remove them immediately unless the delay is attributed to the port authorities.

The shipping lines would now be required to submit an indemnity bond to the customs department for ensuring to follow Customs rules and regulations. This condition would apply to the shipping lines engaged in the business of international transshipment of containers and bulk cargo.

As per new conditions for the shipping lines, the goods shall only be allowed for auction or destruction by approval of the concerned Collector of Customs, who shall only allow it in extraordinary conditions where the shipping line shows its complete inability to ship them out.

The said reasons shall be recorded in writing.

The FBR has also issued a procedure for the transshipment of imported cargo from a gateway port to a foreign port. The statement reads, “The following procedure is prescribed for the movement of the International Transshipment (IT) cargo other than LCL cargo through any seaport in Pakistan, which shall be distinctly manifested as such in the IGM, or carrier declaration uploaded electronically in the Customs Computerized System by the shipping line (VOCCs/NVOCCs) having valid shipping agent licenses.”

It adds, “Such manifest shall necessarily include the following information, including the port of loading; via port (name of the transshipment port of Pakistan); port of destination (final port of discharge at foreign destination); bill of lading (B/L) No.; the name of the foreign exporter; the name of the foreign importer; weight; seal No.; and container No.”

The FBR has also revised the procedure for the transshipment of containerized cargo. The terminal operator (TO) after unloading shall store IT containers at a place earmarked for them in the notified premises of a seaport.


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Further, a complete trail of IT containers, including the time, the location where they are placed, and subsequent movements, shall be electronically reported and updated in the Customs Computerized System by the Terminal Operator (TO) so that the location of the said containers is traceable at any given point in time.

The TO shall deploy enough manpower to verify the shipper seals against the manifested seals, and in case a container is found without a seal or with a different seal or any broken seal, such container shall be re-sealed and immediately resealed with the Customs seal in the presence of the custodian, and same shall be recorded.

The new seal number will be entered into the system before stacking of the container, FBR’s new procedure added.

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