OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS (GENERAL)
MUMBAI CUSTOMS ZONE-II
JAWAHARLAL NEHRU CUSTOM HOUSE
F. No. S/6-MISC-05/2024-25 PCS/JNCH Date-03.12.2024
DIN - 20241254YB000088558D
Public Notice: 104/2024
Procedure to issue EDI Port Clearance/Advance Port Clearance
Attention of all the Shipping Lines/Steamer Agents, Members of trade, authorized representatives and all other stakeholders is invited to the CBIC’s Circular No.02/2015-Customs dated 15.01.2015, JNCH’s PN No.48/2016 dated 07.03.2016 and No.67/2020 dated 13.05.2020 on the subject matter of “procedure to issue EDI Port Clearance/Advance Port Clearance.”
2. The Port Clearance is granted in terms of Section 42 of the Customs Act, 1962 which inter-alia states that no conveyance to leave without written order of proper officer. In order to obtain the Port Clearance Certificate, the following documents are required to be produced along with application as envisaged in Customs Act, 1962, Customs Preventive Manual and other Allied Acts as amended from time to time: -
i. Light House Certificate
ii. NOC from Immigration Department
iii. Port Health Certificate
iv. Income Tax Certificate
v. Load Line Certificate
vi. Ship Safety Radio Certificate
vii. Ship Safety Equipment Certificate
viii. Ship Registry Certificate
ix. Port Dues Certificate
3. The JNCH vide Public Notice No.48/2016 dated 07.03.2016 and No.67/2020 dated 13.05.2020, provided that Shipping Lines/Steamer Agents may avail the facility of submitting one-time continuity bond for obtaining Advance Port Clearance to the Deputy/Assistant Commissioner of Customs, Preventive General, as per the format annexed (Annexure-I). The continuity bond shall be executed on Stamp Paper of Rs. 500/- being stamp duty. The continuity bond shall be submitted to the Port Clearance Section of JNCH manually, and thereafter the photo copy can be submitted. This Bond/Guarantee letter will be submitted by Shipping Lines/Steamer Agents for the Advance Port Clearance which will be granted to vessels calling to JNPA Port on the condition of submission of following documents within seven days from the sailing of the vessel: -
i. Inward Clearance Certificate of the Vessel
ii. Outward Clearance Certificate of the Vessel
iii. Immigration NOC for the Vessel
iv. PHO Certificate of the Vessel
v. Ship Registry Certificate
4. The Advance Port Clearance shall be issued by Port Clearance Section with due approval of AC/DC, Preventive General. Before granting of sailing permission, Advance Port Clearance along with following documents should bechecked by Boarding/Preventive Officer, JNCH:-
i. Inward Clearance Certificate of the Vessel
ii. Outward Clearance Certificate of the Vessel
iii. Immigration NOC for the Vessel
iv. PHO Certificate of the Vessel
v. Load Line Certificate
vi. Ship Safety Radio Certificate
vii. Ship Safety Equipment Certificate
The Certificate/Documents not submitted at the time of advance Port Clearance are to be submitted within seven days from the sailing of the vessel by the Shipping Line/Streamer Agents for closure of Port Clearance Application.
5. The Shipping Lines/Steamer Agents are required to undertake that the vessel will be neither carrying any dangerous drugs nor any consignments of Arms and Ammunition, fissionable material like Uranium, Plutonium, thorium etc. in the same bottom.
6. Advance Port Clearance once issued shall be valid for 03 days and same can be extended 03 times for three days each and the application for extension has to be submitted.
7. The Shipping Lines/Steamer Agents should also bind themselves (Undertaking as Annexure-A) in the event of any failure on their part to submit the above said documents within seven days from the sailing of the vessel, suitable action shall be initiated against them as per provisions under Customs Act, 1962.
8. The extant provisions of manual issuance of Port Clearance Certificate, as a trade facilitation measure & ease of doing business, will now be processed through online mode. All the applications for Port Clearance Certificates along with the required documents as enumerated in above paras must be submitted through new on-line platform (URL link is https://jnch.epcc.in)) The application for Port Clearance must be submitted well before the expected time of departure (ETD) of vessel for smooth functioning. The Shipping Lines/Steamer Agents shall ensure that all the requisite fields are correctly filled and the uploaded documents are legible to avoid any delays. The Port Clearance Certificates would be issued in office hours only.
9. The Shipping Lines/Steamer Agents listed in Annexure-II are already onboard on the new online portal. The User ID and Password to access the online platform will be communicated to the Shipping Lines/Steamers Agent on their registered email IDs available with the department. The Shipping Lines/Steamers Agents that are not listed in the Annexure-II are required to submit (1100 hrs to 1200 hrs) their request manually to the Port Clearance Section, JNCH, Nhava Sheva, on any working days for enabling them to be on-board the on-line portal. Thereafter, the User ID and Password to access online platform to eligible applicants will be communicated through their registered email IDs within same day by 1700 hrs.
10. The User Manual for applying on-line Port Clearance Certificate Application including editing/amendment/extension/closure is attached as “Annexure –B”.
11. On receipt of the application for Port Clearance Certificate through online portal, the officer at Level 1 (Administrative Officer/Superintendent of Customs) will verify the correctness and genuineness of the documents submitted by Shipping Lines/Steamer Agents. The on-line application will be processed (on-line) as under: -
(i). if found correct, the officer at Level 1 shall send the application to the officer at Level 2 (AC/DC-Preventive General) for granting on-line Port Clearance Certificate. The officer at Level 2, if satisfied with the completeness of the application, will grant on-line Port Clearance Certificate which can be downloaded by the holder of the User ID through on-line portal. Also, the on-line PCC will be sent to their registered email-ID.
(ii). if found incomplete/incorrect, the officer at Level 1 will issue deficiency memo (on-line) to the Shipping Lines/Steamer Agents which will be accessible by the Shipping Lines/Streamer Agents through their User ID. The Shipping Lines/Steamer Agents will reply to deficiency memo on-line, and if the documents re-submitted are found satisfactory, the officer at Level 1 shall send the application to the officer at Level 2 (AC/DC) for granting on-line Port Clearance Certificate. The officer at Level 2, if satisfied with the completeness of the application, will grant on-line Port Clearance Certificate which can be downloaded by the holder of the User ID through on-line portal. Also, the on-line PCC will be sent to their registered email-ID.
(iii). if found incomplete/incorrect by the officer at Level 2, he/she may issue deficiency memo (on-line) to the Shipping Lines/Steamer Agents which will again be accessible by the Shipping Lines/Streamer Agents through their User ID. The Shipping Lines/Steamer Agents will reply to deficiency memo on-line which will automatically directed to officer at Level 1, and if the documents re-submitted are found satisfactory, the officer at Level 1 will send the application to officer at Level 2 for granting on-line PCC. The officer at Level 2, if satisfied with the completeness of the application, will grant on-line Port Clearance Certificate which can be downloaded by the holder of the User ID through on-line portal. Also, the on-line PCC will be sent to their registered email-ID.
(iv). Once the on-line Port Clearance Certificate is granted, the same will be available to the Shipping Lines/Streamer Agents and can be downloaded using their User ID through on-line portal. And, on-line PCC will be available at their registered email ID. The on-line Port Clearance Certificate will also contain QR Code for verification of the genuineness of the details.
(v). If Vessel has not sailed within the stipulated period of On-line PCC, the Shipping Lines/Steamer Agents can apply for extension of online PCC using EDIT Mode available in the on-line portal. Thereafter, extension application will be forwarded to officer at Level 1 who, if satisfied with reasoning given, will grant on-line PCC with extended period (3 days on each occasion) which will be accessible through User ID. The on-line PCC will also be communicated to applicant through registered email ID. The extension can be accorded maximum three times only.
(vi). The Shipping Lines/Steamer Agents, if wish to carry out amendment in already submitted application in the name of Master of the Vessel & Next Port of Call before sailing of the Vessel, same can be applied to Level 1 officer using EDIT Mode available in the on-line portal. The Level 1 officer, after due verification, will grant on-line PCC with amended details which will lead to generation of updated on-line PCC.
(vii). The Shipping Lines/Steamer Agents, after sailing of the Vessel, will submit the Certificate/Documents which were not submitted at the time of advance on-line Port Clearance Certificate, within seven days from the sailing of the vessel for closure of Port Clearance Application. The closure request will be submitted to Level 1 Officer through on-line portal using “Submit Closure Request” button which will accessible to User ID. The Level 1 officer, after verifying the correctness of documents, will close the request. In case, not satisfied, Level 1 officer can issue Deficiency Memo through on-line portal. After receipt of on-line response from Shipping Lines/ Shipping Agents, Level 1 officer, if satisfied, will finally close the request.
12. Further, as a trade facilitation measure issuance of manual port clearance will continue along with on-line mode till 31.12.2024. The manual process for issuing Port Clearance Certificates will be discontinued on 31.12.2024 (midnight). The manual application, if any, will be considered with the approval of JC/ADC (PG) only under exceptional circumstances.
13. This Public Notice shall come into force with effect from 06.12.2024. And, this Public Notice, for the purpose of implementation, will act as Standing Order for Departmental Officers/Staffs. This Public Notice will supersede all the previous Public Notices issued in this regard in JNCH, Nhava Sheva. The list of documents required may undergo change as per legislative requirements or as per changes in provisions of the Customs Act, and/or Allied Acts/Board’s Circulars in this regard.
14. In case of any difficulty related to the new online process, the Shipping Lines/Steamer Agents may contact the Deputy/Assistant Commissioner of Customs, Preventive General at portclearance.jnch@gov.in.
Sd/-
Dhirendra Singh Garbyal
COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS, NS-GEN