The Hindu Business Line : Chennai Customs move to deal with problem boxes

The officer will verify the correctness of the container with reference to the Bill of Lading and affix a Customs One Time Seal, says a Chennai Customs trade notice.

Chennai , Sept. 22

Each day about 15 containers land at the Chennai port without proper `load port seal' — which tells where the box was loaded — or with seals damaged during transit.

Concerned with the security, the Customs Department seeks clarifications from steamer agents on tampering of the seals.

The steamer agents, in turn, seek explanation from load ports. This takes about 15 days, and the boxes are cleared thereafter.

Procedure

To help the trade shrink time, the Chennai Customs has drawn up a procedure to deal with such problem-containers. This includes Chennai Container Terminal Ltd (CCTL) segregating and stacking containers with tampered seals near the out gate for supervision by the Customs Preventive Officer.

The officer will verify the correctness of the container with reference to the Bill of Lading and affix a Customs One Time Seal, says a Chennai Customs trade notice. If import LCL (less than container load) boxes do not have a proper load port seal, a Customs One Time Seal will be affixed on the container and moved to the `O' yard under preventive escort.

The boxes would be subject to 100 per cent examination by the appraiser/examiner posted at the `O' yard.

Similarly, if import full container load boxes come without a proper load port seal, a Customs One Time Seal will be affixed on the container and moved to a container freight station (CFS) indicated by the steamer agent.

The containers will be subjected to 100 per cent examination by the appraiser/examiner at the CFS.

If any objectionable goods are found, the same will be informed to the Assistant Commissioner or the Deputy Commissioner (Docks) in charge of the CFS for appropriate action, the notice says.

Security concern

The Port Security Officer of the Chennai Port Trust expressed concern about security over the handling of such import containers with load port seal damaged or without load-port seal to implement the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code at the Chennai port.

The ISPS Code is a framework through which ships and port facilities can cooperate to detect and deter acts, which pose a threat to maritime security.

Following a suggestion to review the existing procedure, a joint meeting among the Assistant Commissioner (Preventive-General), the Deputy Port Fire Security Officer and representatives of CCTL laid down the procedures to deal with the situation, the notice says.

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