F.No. S/1-231/2004 EDP
Imp No.:- 31/2004
Exp No.:- 31/2004

PUBLIC NOTICE NO. 55/2004, Date : 31/08/2004

Sub: Assessment of Bulk cargo and release of the same from Customs charge-reg.

1. Attention of Importers, Port authorities, Custom House Agents, Steamer Agents and all other concerned is drawn towards the proposal of Electronic clearance of Bulk Bills of Entry under the Indian Customs EDI System (Imports).

2. In partial modification of Para 1.1 Clause XIX of Public Notice No.85/99 dated 29.07.1999 it has been decided to bring the Bill’s of Entry pertaining to liquid bulk cargo ( Edible oils, petroleum oils etc.) and other bulk cargo under the ICES with effect from 01.09.2004. The details of the procedure to be followed for processing /assessment of the Bill’s of Entry under EDI related to bulk cargo will be as follows:

3. In case of liquid bulk cargo the Importer shall file either personally or through C.H.A. an application on Importer’s letter head for permission to discharge with Asstt. Commissioner / Deputy Commissioner (1A - Oil Unit) or Asstt. Commissioner / Deputy Commissioner of Customs (Bond) in case of Petroleum products or chemicals as the case may be, prior to arrival of the vessel, if the cargo is intended to be warehoused and discharged at the wharfs in port area. Such applications will be filed with Asstt. / Deputy Commissioner of Customs (G) in case of Stream Discharge. If the cargo is intended to be cleared for Home consumption then such application will be filed with Asstt. / Deputy Commissioner of Customs (Assessment) where the Bills of Entry is intended to be filed and assessed. The concerned AC/DC will give the permission for discharge of the cargo as per the rule. The permission given as “Discharge Allowed” shall be collected by Importer or CHA and handed over to the Steamer Agent to enable the Steamer Agent to apply for the expeditious berthing of the vessel. After berthing, the liquid bulk cargo shall be discharged via the underground pipeline to the offshore tanks or the barges / Tank Lorries as the case may be, under the existing procedure of Supervision of discharge and drawal of samples by Preventive Officers / Superintendents (Preventive) in Docks / Stream.

4. Before discharge of the cargo, the Importers/CHA’s shall file the B/E for liquid bulk cargo as well as other bulk cargo in the EDI System as per provisions contained in Section 46 of the Customs Act, 1962.

5. The Importers/CHAs shall file Annexure-I format to the P.N.No. 85/99 dated 29/07/99 and hand over for data entry to the Service Centre located on the IInd floor, Annexe building or to the round the clock facility of electronic filing of Bills of Entry through ICEGATE vide Public Notice No.113/2000. dt. 09/12/2003 may be availed. A separate counter shall be set up at the EDI Service Centre for Bills of Entry pertaining to the bulk cargo and the procedure of checklist, assessment, registration of goods, amendments etc as given in P.N.No. 85/99 dated 29/07/99 shall be applicable. The Asstt./Dy. Commissioner (Assessment) shall give top priority to assessment of Bills of Entry of bulk cargo because of the high revenue stakes involved.

6. Under the existing procedure of assessing the Bill of Entry provisionally for quantity survey and test report the Importer/CHA shall submit necessary documents within 15 days from the date of assessment of Bill of Entry to Appraising Group for finalization of the provisional assessment. In case of Ex-bond Bill of Entry, if the quantity as per Ullage Survey Report / Shore Out Turn report is more than the quantity declared in the Into-Bond Bill of Entry then for excess quantity the Importer/CHA shall file manual B/E for assessment. Similarly, in case of Home Consumption Bill of Entry, if the quantity as per the Ullage Survey Report / Shore Out Turn report is more than the quantity declared then for excess quantity the Importer/CHA shall file manual Bill of Entry for assessment.

7. The Appraising Officer in-charge of assessment shall assess the Bill of Entry in normal course as being done in the ICES/I. However, for getting priority the CHA/Importer may approach the concerned A.C./D.C. group, who will allot priority in the System to Bills of Entry pertaining to Bulk Cargo as per merit.

8. In cases where the Importers seek part clearances of the bulk cargo the proper officer in charge of examination of bulk cargo, after examination, shall record the examination report on the reverse of original Customs copy of the Bill of Entry. Subsequently, examination reports in respect of all part clearances should be continued to be endorsed on the same copy of Bill of Entry. After examination of the final part of the bulk cargo it will be the responsibility of the proper officer to record the examination report in respect of the total quantity cleared in the ‘Examination Report’ column in the System. Thereafter, final out of charge shall be given for the entire consignment in the System. For Ex-bond Bill of Entry the existing procedure of out of charge being given by Preventive Superintendent Bond as per Public Notice No. 05/2003 dated 16/01/2003 shall be followed.

9. Any difficulty faced by the Importers/CHAs in processing of Bulk Cargo Bills of Entry may be brought to the knowledge of the System Manager, EDI or the Help Desk Counter.

(C.M. MEHRA)
COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS (EP)

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