Facilitating Exports Through Electronic Sealing and Direct Port Delivery
CBIC has undertaken various measures for enhancing export facilitation by simplifying the procedure and creating trust-based environment by dispensing the need for exporters seeking the presence of jurisdictional officer. The key steps includes:
(a) Self-sealing using e-Seals
(b) Direct Port Entry
(a) Electronic Sealing
CBIC has simplified the factory stuffing procedure under which Customs have shown more faith in exporters by allowing them to stuffing containers at their premises using electronic seal (e-Seal). The e-Seal is introduced to replace the earlier practice of supervised sealing by the departmental officers with self-sealing using e-Seal. It is also mandatory for exporters availing self-sealing to use e-Seal.
Salient features of e-Seal:
- An e-Seal with RFID chip inside can be read by enabled devices via fixed reader, handheld reader or any other mode.
- Reduced the time associated with the clearance of export containers.
- Reduced the cost as for every supervised sealing exporter had to bear service charges of Customs officers.
(b) Direct Port Entry (DPE)
Direct Port Entry scheme aims to reduce export release time and associated cost. Under this scheme, export containers are allowed direct entry into the port terminal prior to granting Let Export Order (LEO). This scheme was earlier available only in cases of Refrigerated Containers, Over Dimensional Cargo (ODC), Motor Vehicles, Perishable non-refrigerated cargo, AEO Status holder etc. Now this facility has been extended to all factory stuffed export containers of all manufacturing entities.
Salient features of DPE:
- The state-of-the-art Direct Port Entry (DPE) facility enables direct movement of containers from factories, without intermediate handling at any Container Freight Station (CFS), thus facilitating the shippers to Gate-In their factory stuffed exports directly to the Container Terminal on 24×7 basis.
- DPE was developed to enable export clearance for faster and cost-effective export admittance.
- DPE for export containers has resulted in reduction of time taken in obtaining Customs approval bringing down dwell time and savings in cost.
Nearly 74% of all containers exported through Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust are now using DPE route. Other ports handling container cargo have also initiated similar facility. Same is also being adopted in other ports.
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