Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs: Accompanying the development of Cai Mep-Thi Vai port cluster

Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs always cares about and supports to create maximum convenience for import and export goods through ports at Cai Mep - Thi Vai. Photo: N.H

Increase business motivation

The Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department has consistently issued annual plans to develop customs-business partnerships, aiming for community businesses and stakeholders to support and actively participate in the process of customs reform and modernization. This contributes to enhancing the effectiveness of implementing customs policies, laws, and public administration within the customs sector.

To date, the task of developing customs-business partnerships has become a permanent awareness of each official at the Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department and has received the attention and support of officials throughout the unit, as well as the business community and other stakeholders. The unit has actively applied technology in registering for physical goods inspections, interacting with businesses, and resolving arising difficulties in the customs clearance process, thereby helping businesses shorten their clearance time.

Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department also effectively maintains the operation of support teams to resolve difficulties and advisory teams for businesses at customs branches and the Department to promptly, diligently, and effectively resolve any arising difficulties or provide advice on unclear issues during the customs clearance process for the business community. The leadership of the Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department also proactively meets and interacts with enterprises at business premises, projects, factories, and production facilities to grasp and thoroughly resolve difficulties and obstacles.

"The Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department always considers the level of business satisfaction as a measure to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of work, considering businesses as trusted partners to balance management and service," Nguyen Truong Giang, Director of the Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department emphasized.

Notably, at the beginning of this year, after recording the opinions of port businesses in the Cai Mep - Thi Vai area, the Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department reported to the General Department of Vietnam Customs to request a mechanism connecting Cai Mep - Thi Vai International Terminal (TCTT) with Cai Mep International Port (CMIT). With this mechanism, the two ports can take advantage of each other's berthing infrastructure to receive vessels and handle goods. According to information shared by businesses, after applying this mechanism, cargo throughput has increased significantly, and the operational efficiency of the ports has also been improved thanks to saving waiting time for vessels to call at the port.

Mr. Giang said that after working with the Ministry of Finance recently, the Ministry has requested the People's Committee of Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province to work with port businesses to implement a number of solutions. If the ports meet the conditions, the Ministry of Finance will direct the customs authorities to facilitate similar to the mechanism already applied at TCTT and CMIT ports."

Promote growth

It can be said that the companionship and support of Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs have significantly contributed to attracting businesses and goods to the Cai Mep - Thi Vai ports over the past time, thereby supporting the development and realization of the potential of this region. With strong investment in connecting transportation infrastructure and port infrastructure, the volume of goods through the Cai Mep - Thi Vai port area is forecast to grow strongly in the coming time. In this trend, Director Giang said that the unit has prepared steps to best serve the business community.

Specifically, the unit strengthens training and capacity building for officials to enhance skills in serving businesses and customs clearance. In parallel, the customs sector has also invested in modern equipment for customs inspection and supervision, specifically two container scanners equipped in the Cai Mep - Thi Vai area. The Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department has also strengthened goods inspection at centralized inspection locations. In addition, the unit has signed cooperation regulations with businesses to strengthen cooperation, thereby creating favorable conditions for businesses in the process of completing procedures and resolving difficulties and obstacles arising from businesses.

The Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department has also re-arranged its staff to best serve the business community. "In the current difficult context of the workforce, reorganizing the workforce plays a very important role in maximizing the capacity of all officials in the unit," Mr. Giang said. At the same time, the Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department also coordinates with other units in the area to facilitate customs procedures and clearance for businesses.

For newly invested businesses in the area, the Ba Ria - Vung Tau Customs Department coordinates with the management board of industrial zones to grasp information and plan for propaganda, support, and procedural guidance from the early stages to avoid errors. In addition, dialogues will also be regularly organized to disseminate policies, address difficulties, obstacles, and record business suggestions in a timely manner. Thereby, handling difficulties or reflecting on the higher level agency to create maximum convenience for businesses in the customs clearance process.

The customs agency's solutions will increase the attractiveness of the Cai Mep - Thi Vai port cluster, thereby attracting more import and export goods through this port cluster."