Pre-shipment system procedures

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's imports worth more than US$5,000 are required to be inspected at points of loading by PT Surveyor Indonesia, a company partly owned by the government.

According to Surveyor Indonesia, the procedures of the pre- shipment inspection system are as follows.

* An importer in Indonesia opens a letter of credit (L/C) or submits an application for import--if no L/C is used--to Surveyor Indonesia's headquarters in Jakarta.

* The headquarters sends an inspection order to the target branch office through an electronic data transfer.

* Upon receipt of the inspection order from Jakarta, the branch office contacts the exporter by sending a request-for- information (RFI) form. In case of an urgent shipment, the exporter is advised to get such a form directly from the branch office.

* In filling out the RFI form, the exporter is required to specify time, date and location of inspection and enclose copies of detailed packing list and proforma invoice, of detailed products literature and of L/C.

* The Geneva-based Societe Generale de Surveillance S.A. (SGS), Surveyor Indonesia's long-serving subcontractor, confirms the inspection date, time and location and then carries out the physical field inspection. An SGS inspector verifies the type, quality and quantity of goods as declared in the invoice and packing list. The goods, physically examined within each shipment, are selected on a random basis. The exporter signs and receives a copy of a provisional inspection report which details the inspector's findings.

* After the issuance of a satisfactory inspection report, goods may be shipped. The exporter then sends a copy of the signed and dated bill of loading and two copies of final invoices to the branch office of Surveyor Indonesia.

* The branch office issues an inspection report within two working days after receiving the exporter's final documents. Details of the inspection report are transmitted electronically to the headquarters in Jakarta, which will then print the inspection report and send it to the importer's bank and make a copy for the importer.

* The importer pays the necessary customs duties and waits for the shipment's arrival. (rid)