F.No.S/1-107/2001 EDP

PUBLIC NOTICE NO. 66/2002 Date: 30/05/2002.

SUB:- EDI Connectivity with Mumbai Port Trust and Shipping Agents.-Import Cycle- reg.

Attention of Importers / CHA / Steamer Agents/Shipping agents / Shipping Lines and all other concerned are invited to the Public Notice No.85/99 dated 29-07-99 regarding computerized processing of IGM in ICES. It has been decided to implement a pilot project for import cargo involving EDI connectivity with Mumbai Port Trust and Shipping Lines / Steamer Agents at Mumbai Custom House. This would involve exchange of selected messages for import transaction electronically and would be implemented in a phased manner. The exchange of messages electronically among partners would enable the community partners to exchange the information online phasing out the existing procedure of exchange of information through paper transaction.

To start with the following messages / information relating to import of cargo are identified for the purpose of exchange among Customs, Port and Shipping Agents / Shipping Lines.

Message Name	From	To
Vessel details	Shipping Agent	Customs
Vessel details	Customs	Port
Cargo Manifest	Shipping Agent	Customs
Cargo Manifest	Customs	Port
Container Details	Customs	Port
Container Details	Shipping Agent	Customs
Allocation of IGM No.	Customs	Shipping Agent
Allocation of IGM No.	Customs	Port
Grant of Entry inward	Customs	Shipping Agent
Grant of Entry inward	Customs	Port
Request for Cancellation of IGM	Shipping Agent	Customs
Request for Cancellation of IGM	Customs	Port
Confirmation of vessel arrived by port	Port	Customs
Cancellation of IGM No.	Customs	Shipping Agent
Cancellation of IGM No.	Customs	Port

Message exchange exercise for other identified messages will be undertaken in a phased manner.

1. IMPLEMENTATION OF UNLOCODE

1.1 All the location codes used in ICES for indicating details like the port code in IGM declaration are based on a 3 Character code. However, in order to commence the EDI pilot project it was considered essential to use an international code for this purpose.

1.2 Accordingly, the existing directory of location codes in ICES (3 characters) would be changed to a new directory (6 characters) based on the UN/LOCODE. Details of all the location codes used in the Customs directory are available at www.unece.org/cefact/index.htm. However, the Customs directory has a different structure and incorporates certain minor changes as indicated below. Hard copies of the complete directory would be available at the Service Centre for consultation at the time of filing the IGM declarations. If required, as a one-time measure of facilitation, the concerned Associations may contact AO/DC (EDI) Mumbai Custom House for obtaining the directory on floppy. The following points may kindly be noted for implementation at the time of filing IGM declaration at the Service Centre/ through EDI.

1.3 Though the directory itself is character of 6 in size, for all locations outside India, the location code should be indicated using five characters only, the first two characters indicating the country code and the next three characters indicating the port code.

1.4 If the code for a particular international port does not exist in the UN/LOCODE directory, then a five-digit-code of the nearest port in that country should be used and it should be suffixed with the letter ‘X’ as the sixth character, to indicate that it is not the exact port code but an approximation.

1.5 The name of the actual port whose code is not available in the UN/LOCODE list would also be required to be entered at the Service Centre.

1.6 In case the despatch point is other than a port, e.g., an oil in international waters, the code XXXXXX is to be used.

1.7 For Indian locations all the port codes must be indicated at 6 character level. The first two characters would be the country code, the next three the port code and the last character is the functional identifier.

1.8 The functional identifier indicates the nature of the location i.e. whether it is a port, airport, ICD, land border etc. Though a city in India may have more than one functional identifier shown against it in the UN/LOCODE list / unece.org website, only one identifier should be indicated at a time (eg. INBOM1 for Mumbai port and INBOM4 for Mumbai Sahar Airport ) Details of the functional identifiers are indicated below:

0. Maritime (port)
1. Rail terminal
2. Road terminal
3. Airport
4. Mail (postal exchange office)
5. Multinational functions ICDs etc.
6. Fixed transport functions (e.g. Oil platform)
7. Border crossing

To repeat, for all locations outside India, the code is to be indicated only at 5 character level except, when an ‘X’ is required to be suffixed to indicate that the location is not covered in the UNLOCODE and an approximate location code is being used.

1.9 It may also be noted that certain codes for Land Customs Stations, coastal ports and rail locations within India, have been included in the ICES directory, though they are not yet included in the UN/LOCODE list. However, these codes have already been forwarded to the UN-ECE and are likely to be included in the UN/LOCODE list shortly (They are distinguished by the word “proposed” in the remarks column, within the ICES port code directory).

1.10 The ICES location code directory would be updated by Customs once a month based on the extant version of the UN/LOCODE list available on the above website. This would be done on the last working day of each month. Trade is advised to ensure that their code directory is also similarly updated, in the format used by the Customs directory.

2. PROCEDURE OF FILING IGM DECLARATION THROUGH EDI INTERFACE

2.1 EDI message exchange between customs, the designated Shipping Agent and the Port Authorities would commence from a date to be announced later. Once the initial exchange of message is stabilized more Shipping Agents / Steamer Agents / Shipping Lines would be invited to join the project.

2.2 Submission of Final IGM: In case of Shipping Agents / Shipping Lines who are participating in the EDI pilot project, the submission of IGM would be transmitted through the agreed EDI interface.

2.3 After validation of the data the IGM No. and Date would be generated and transmitted to the Shipping Lines / Shipping Agents and the Mumbai Port Trust as per the EDI message format agreed upon.

2.4 The IGM No. is allotted if there is no error in the information / message submitted by the Shipping Line / Shipping Agent. In case of an error, the message will be rejected and the error message is transmitted to the Shipping Line / Shipping Agent.

2.5 Submission of prior IGM: In case of prior IGM where IGM declaration are not transmitted with Cargo and Container details, these information can be substituted at a latter stage after arrival of the vessel. Error free supplementary messages would be accepted and the Manifest will be regularized and treated as the Final Manifest. However, if there is any error, then an error will be transmitted and the same message has to be rectified, before its acceptance.

2.6 However the procedure of filing manual IGM as explained in the Public Notice No. 64/02 Dt. 30/05/2002 in the Import Noting Center will continue.

2.7 Amendment of IGM: Request for amendment, addition, deletion of IGM particulars and cancellation of IGM can be transmitted through the EDI interface as per the agreed format to the Dy. Commissioner (Imports), who may approve / or dis-approve the amendment / cancellation. In case the cancellation is approved a confirmation of the cancellation would be provided to the Mumbai Port Trust and Steamer Agent / Shipping Line electronically through the EDI interface. In case of submission of incorrect particulars the error message will be transmitted back to the Shipping Line and Shipping Agent and would need rectification before acceptance by the system.

Sd/-
(Ramesh Ramachandra)
COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS
(GENERAL)

(Authority : F. No. IV(26)/9/2002/Systems/1506 dated 10-05-2002 from Directorate of Systems, New Delhi.)

Attested

(S. K. Rahman)
Dy. Commissioner of Customs (EDI)

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