Complaints about new customs service starts<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Businesspeole are complaining that container
\nfreight flows through Tanjung Perak port in Surabaya, East Java,
\nand Tanjung Priok port in Jakarta are being hindered by slow
\ncustoms clearance.<\/p>\n
"Since the restoration of the customs inspection service on
\nApril 1, cargo flows through our ports have become much slower,
\nresulting in higher handling and storage costs," said Tarjono, a
\nspokesman for state-owned port management company PT Pelabuhan
\nIII.<\/p>\n
"We don't want to be blamed by shippers or carriers for the
\nslower freight loading and unloading operations when the main
\nreason has been inadequate customs clearance."<\/p>\n
Tarjono said he could understand there would be initial delays
\nas the customs service had only just regained its inspection
\nauthority. It replaces the preshipment inspection system of
\nimports which was introduced in 1985.<\/p>\n
"But this problem should be solved soon, otherwise congestion
\nmay threaten the Tanjung Perak port," he added.<\/p>\n
He said Tanjung Perak handled 800 to 1,200 containers of
\nimports a day.<\/p>\n
Tarjono blamed the slow customs clearance partly on the large
\nvolume of imports which had to go through the red lane, meaning
\nthey had to be physically inspected by customs officials.<\/p>\n
"Ideally, only 10 percent of import consignments should go
\nthrough the red lane. But at Tanjung Perak port, 46 percent of
\nthe consignments have to be inspected," Tarjono was quoted by
\nAntara as saying.<\/p>\n
Bisnis Indonesia newspaper quoted a customs broker at Tanjung
\nPriok port as complaining that customs clearance procedures
\nthrough the customs' electronic data interchange (EDI) system
\ntook between two and five days, much longer than the four hours
\npromised by customs last month.<\/p>\n
However customs officials argued that the slow clearance was
\ncaused by differences between the data as stipulated in the cargo
\nmanifests and those in the customs declaration forms.<\/p>\n
The newspaper quoted several shippers and customs brokers, who
\ninsisted on anonymity, as cautioning that the slow customs
\nclearance, if not expedited, could soon cause major congestion at
\nthe port.<\/p>\n
"The customs service ran smoothly only during the first week
\nand after that everything seemed to go very slowly," one
\nbusinessman said.<\/p>\n
Several customs brokers were quoted by the newspapers as
\ndisclosing that customs clearance could be completed in two days
\nonly if they bribed customs officials.<\/p>\n
"Without bribes, the process takes up to five days," a customs
\nbroker complained.<\/p>\n
Another importer said he submitted his customs declaration
\nforms on a diskette (to be processed at the EDI system) on April
\n16 but only obtained customs clearance on April 21.<\/p>\n
"Lack of data processing equipment and competent EDI system
\noperators also contribute to the slow customs clearance," the
\nimporter said. (vin)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/complaints-about-new-customs-service-starts-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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