Ho Chi Minh City Customs: Quick handling of backlogged goods at seaports

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The destruction of scrap was chaired by Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department by the end of 2022. Photo: T.H

Handling hundreds of scrap containers

According to Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department, following the direction of the General Department of Customs, the unit has focused on handling backlogged goods, especially scrap. Hundreds of containers of backlogged scrap were handled at Cat Lai port. As of January 31, 2023, the Saigon port area 1 Customs Branch has completed processing a total of 407 backlogged scrap containers. In which, 308 scrap containers have been destroyed; one container changed the remedy in the form of destruction; 98 containers have cleared customs procedures to receive goods.

In addition to the above-mentioned processed containers, at present, Cat Lai port still has 1,188 containers of scrap goods.

Of which, 410 containers are eligible for import, have established all-people ownership, approved the auction plan, and are taking the next steps to organize the auction according to regulations. Over 300 containers of key locked goods (goods belonging to cases under investigation with signs of fraud), enterprises have completed procedures to open customs clearance declarations of 70 containers. The remaining 232 containers, of which 10 have been confirmed, are awaiting customs clearance.

For 142 containers on the list of published newspapers, shipping lines are not allowed to declare to amend and supplement manifest information; 61 containers are overdue to receive goods, which the Sub-Department has taken into inventory and classified according to the Plan. The remaining 19 containers include (one container by the Anti-Smuggling and Investigation Department, which has transferred the prosecution file to the Criminal Investigation Department for Corruption, Economic and Smuggling (C03) and 18 locked containers at the request of C03 Ministry of Public Security) continues to lock and monitor key points.

Particularly for 200 containers that have opened customs declarations, of which 28 containers have completed import procedures and received goods, the remaining 172 containers have been handled as follows: for 80 containers, the Procedures Team has reviewed and canceled the declaration, the Sub-department issued Plan 4926/KH-KVI on August 26, 2022, to include it in the inventory, classification and report to the Council to sign the contract of Saigon Newport Corporation before the inventory and classification; for 92 containers, import procedures team of Saigon port area 1 Customs Sub-Department is reviewing and handling according to regulations.

For 682 containers that are forcibly destroyed, 308 containers have been destroyed, the remaining 374 containers have not been destroyed. Statistics show that the responsibility of 13 shipping lines carrying a total of 260 containers has a plan and is eligible for destruction, the Sub-department has issued Official Letter No. 6576/KV1-ĐGSKS dated November 10, 2022, continuing to monitor and handle pursuant to rules; 114 containers of nine shipping lines haven’t had the plan to destroy, etc.

Strict supervision of imported scrap

In addition to the above-mentioned backlogged goods, statistics of the Saigon port area 1 Customs Branch show that the unit is handling nearly 1,600 other backlogged containers. In which, the unit has processed and destroyed 37 containers; 24 containers carry out import procedures to receive goods. There is a backlog of 1,537 containers, so far the results of the review of 251 containers are in the case of overdue notice, the cases where there has been a written refusal to receive the goods, the declaration has been canceled and the cases of locking regulations have been identified.

Notably, among the above-mentioned backlogged goods, there are currently nearly 400 containers in the case of key locking, not handling according to the regulations on backlogged goods, so Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department continues to lock and carry out key supervision according to regulations. For the remaining 163 containers, the Sub-Department is continuing to send an official dispatch to coordinate with relevant units to review and coordinate with relevant authorities to destroy scrap that is ineligible for import. 609 containers on the backlog list have been inventoried and classified, submitted to the Department's leaders for approval of the handling plan, of which 512 containers are under quality inspection, the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department has sent an official dispatch to the competent units to conduct bidding for hiring an inspection organization according to regulations.

For 97 containers subject to destruction, the Saigon port area 1 Customs Branch has sent a third dispatch to continue to coordinate handling according to regulations.

The backlog of goods at some major seaports in Ho Chi Minh City has decreased significantly, including Cat Lai and Hiep Phuoc ports, so these ports have plans to receive imported plastic scrap.

After nearly 5 years of suspending receipt of scrap plastic containers, from the beginning of March 2023, Tan Cang Cat Lai and Tan Cang Hiep Phuoc have received imported scrap plastic containers. The Saigon port area 1 Customs Branch will strengthen inspection and close supervision for this imported item, and at the same time closely coordinate with port operators and enterprises to timely clear customs, avoiding backlogged goods at the port, etc.