India: 2018 Sea Cargo Manifest and Transshipment Regulations
As another step towards ease of doing business in India, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs has made some changes in the regulation for filing Sea Cargo Manifest for Import, Export and Transshipment cargo. These changes are scheduled to come into force effective 01st August 2018.
As per the key highlights of the revised regulation, it is compulsory for ship owners, importers and exporters to adhere to the defined timelines for manifest filing of import cargo arriving in India, exports out of India and transhipments made via Indian ports.
Import Shipments to India (Arrival Manifest): Import Manifest is required to be submitted to customs prior to departure of vessel from the last port of calling. To adhere to these time lines, full details of Bills of Lading and all other manifest information needs to be made available for manifest filing, at least 24 hours PRIOR to departure of vessel from the last foreign port.
Exports Shipment from India (Departure Manifest): The Vessel Agent is required to submit the export manifest details to Indian Customs Prior Vessel Sailing from Indian Port of Loading. To be able to adhere to these timelines, the shipper must submit the original Shipping Bill with LEO (Let Export Order) to the Vessel Agent at least 48 hours prior to the Estimate Time of Arrival (ETA) of the export vessel.
