Binh Dinh Customs: Actively supporting enterprises to clear cargo stuck in Quy Nhon port

Loading the woods for exporting at Quy Nhon port. Photo: Thu Hòa.

Nearly 500 cargo containers stuck in port

After the storm no.12 gone until now, many container ships and the large ship could not enter the navigable party of Quy Nhon. Thus it leads a large number of import-export goods in the area has been stuck including exported wood products in the port and manufacture. Besides that, ships that carried imported wood materials and accessories could not land Quy Nhon port that led to a waste of money and waiting time of enterprises even it could lead to the risk of abandon the shipment has been signed by their customers.

According to Quy Nhon port Customs Branch - Binh Dinh Customs Department, currently, nearly 500 containers of export goods are stuck in the port because no ship is landed for loading the goods from collecting vehicle. In particular, there are 3 export declarations and 3 import declarations of 6 enterprises which have done customs procedures but they canceled the declaration. In addition, the number of export goods that have gone through supervision area but have not been loaded on board the vessel yet, are 443 containers.

Talking to the reporter of Customs News, leaders of Binh Dinh Timber and Forest Product Association said that, the above data is the goods gathered at the port, in addition, at the warehouse of the timber enterprises also have many goods in stock that could not be exported while this time is in peak season of export goods of enterprises.

According to the Quy Nhon Maritime Administration, due to the impact of the storm, eight cargo ships (six Vietnamese ships and two foreign ones) were hit by heavy waves hence affecting the export and import activities in Binh Dinh province. On 9/11, this port allowed ships to enter the navigable waters of Quy Nhon with limits: the water allowed for the ship was allowed to enter the stream up to 7 meters; All ships entering and leaving the channel must have a pilot boat. However, this regulation only deals with a number of small Vietnamese vessels that can enter and leave ports, while large vessels carry import goods from Singapore or Malaysia or big ships that carried export goods could not enter navigation channel of Quy Nhon. The enterprises stated that there are many large ships are waiting outside of the buoy No. 0. Every day it takes a large amount of cost for the international cargo ships waiting to be loaded into the port. If there is no measure to salvage the sunken ships soon for clearing channels, it will cause great damage to the business.

According to the shipping company's announcement, there are eight container ships have canceled their trip to Quy Nhon port, two cargo ships have complete entry procedure but it could not enter the port for loading.

Supporting import-export enterprises

According to the maritime administration of Quy Nhon, the North Sea 16 ship which carried 3,332 tons of clinke, was sank so it blocked the entrance to the port. Currently, the related competent authorities have salvaged the ship from 14/11/2017. It would take 26 days in normal weather conditions and the time may be longer if the weather is bad for salvage.

In order to deal with this situation, Binh Dinh Customs Department has tried to seek all possible solutions to assist businesses in processing declarations and selectivity. Specifically, Quy Nhon port Customs Branch has sent a document to shipping agents, customs brokers, and enterprises to inform if the goods arrive at other ports but the bills of lading arrives at Quy Nhon port, they are still conducting customs declaration of independent transportation and shipping goods to Quy Nhon port for continuing procedures normally. For export goods, they still carry out the procedures at the branch and change border gate for export or Customs Branch will carry out hand over the procedure for customs authority at exportation border gate. However, some enterprises have canceled customs declaration at Customs Branch then transport goods to Ho Chi Minh City for carrying out export procedures.

According to reporter’s finding, at Quy Nhon port, normally, an average of 5 - 7 cargo ships loading and unloading cargo every day. The incident caused a serious impact that blocking the operation of the port. Most of the large vessels (over 5,000 tons) could not land for cargo loading thus the import-export activities of enterprises affected seriously. Based on the statistic of Quy Nhon port Customs Branch from the beginning of the year to 2/11/2017, this unit has completed procedures for 379 ships on exits, 238 ships on the entry of the country and 282 ships in transit. However, only in the 10 days after the storm no. 12, the number of ships carrying procedure is only 17 ships.

Deputy Manager of Quy Nhon port Customs Branch, Mr. Chung Tan Thi said that the goods that are stuck at the port, do not only affect the enterprise but also affect the state management activities of the Customs authorities including collecting state budget. "According to the average rate of tax collection from the beginning of the year to before the storm no. 12, the average daily revenue in the Branch was 1,899.11 million vnd. After the storm no. 12 until now, the average revenue decreased by 70.98%, it only reached an average of 551 million vnd per day, even there are days without revenue. This is unprecedented in the Branch in recent years and it is foreseen that in the near future if vessels could not land in Quy Nhon port, the state revenue will be reduced steadily, "Deputy manager Chung Tan Thi said.