DG Nguyen Van Can: Implementing VASSCM to create the best conditions for enterprises

	172 warehouse, yard, port operators connect VASSCM
	Customs sector: Focusing on modern management and accomplishing tasks on revenue collection
	Positive signals from the VASSCM implementation at Cai Lan port

Director General Nguyen Van Can at the meeting. photo: T.H

By November 31st 2018, VASSCM will be completed

Director General Nguyễn Văn Cẩn said that after the implementation of the automated system for Customs management at Cát Lái Port, with the efforts of the Customs and Saigon New Port Corporation, to date, the system has worked well. This is a major policy of the Customs sector, which has been approved by the Ministry of Finance to improve management efficiency and shorten the Customs clearance time and create conditions for the port and warehouse operators to improve the management capacity as well as coordination with State management agencies. Along with that, the deployment of the system is to facilitate better and shorten the Customs clearance time for import and export enterprises.

The Director General appreciated the performance of Saigon Newport Corporation. This is one of the units having modern management system compared with the units in the seaport. However, due to management requirements, Sai Gon newport needs to be further reformed especially at Cat Lai port - the largest port in the whole country.

The highlight of the deployment of VASSCM is that the goods are monitored throughout the process. Starts from buoy No. 0 to warehouses, yards, ports and Customs clearance are all monitored and managed on an online automated management system, which helps the units not to look for containers. The responsibilities of each party are specified in the legal documents.

Reporting on the deployment of VASSCM, HCMC Customs Department said, now the Department has successfully deployed VASSCM at 26/30 locations. There are still 2 ports and 2 CFSs which have not been deployed, the system is expected to be completed in November 2018.

At the meeting, Ho Chi Minh City the Customs Department also mentioned some problems in the implementation. The biggest problem is the insufficient declaration by goods owners. In addition, a number of technical problems, transmission errors were reported to the General Department of Customs

At the meeting, the Director General directly solved some problems and directed the units to solve actual problems arising at local Customs units to ensure the best operation for the system. For problems which have not been solved at the meeting, the Director General assigned the Customs IT and Statistics Department and the Customs Supervision and Control Department to coordinate with the Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department and Saigon Newport Corporation to deal with immediately.

For example, for the problem on unclear and unspecific names of goods, the General Department has specifically guided in the legal documents, requiring shipping companies to supplement, otherwise they will not be allowed to load the goods to port. On the first time for insufficient declaration of goods information, the Customs authorities support enterprises are to supplement and remind them, but for the second time, Customs will take strict measures, even administrative penalties for not affecting the general implementation and other enterprises.

Director of HCMC Customs Department Dinh Ngoc Thang said that the Department is urgently deploying VASSCM and will complete the deployment on 31st November 2018.

Solving many problems for Saigon New Port corporation

Assessing the efficiency of VASSCM deployment at the port system of Sai Gon New Port Corporation, Director General of Sai Gon New Port Corporation Ngo Minh Thuan, said that the Corporation has successful deployed VASSCM at 13 establishments, including 7 ports and 6 ICDs nationwide. In which, the successful implementation at Cat Lai port is a big effort from both Customs and port operators.

"Deployed from 24th August 2018, up to now there are 600,000 containers eligible for passing through the surveillance area via the system. This deployment of the system has reduced errors, reduced clearance time of goods, avoided the goods congestion at the ports. It can be said that the program has met the requirements of the connection between Customs and port operators, as well as customs clearance of goods. This system has been very successful. The Customs sector has accompanied and encouraged port operators to apply modern technology in the industrial era 4.0,"- Mr. Thuan emphasized.

Regarding the scraps, Mr. Ngo Minh Thuan said that at present, about 6,764 teus of scraps are backlogged at ports of Sai Gon Newport corporation, of which 85% are plastic scrap, the rest is paper scrap. Scraps are mainly concentrated in Cat Lai port, occupying more than 10% of the ports. Thereby, Saigon New Port has introduced many solutions to handle the inventories and prevent the scraps at ports. At the same time, sending many documents to ministries and sectors on the management of imported scraps.

Mr. Thuan also posed questions to the Director General on some issues related to the implementation of VASSCM; the handling of inventory scraps in accordance with Circular 203; and planning of scanning equipment at Cat Lai port.

The Director General answered the above questions and assigned relevant units to study and handle them. The Director General of Customs said that for questions on scraps, in addition to Official Letter No. 4202 of the General Department of Customs, the Customs will soon issue guiding documents on the handling of scraps and prevent remotely imported scraps.

With the suggestion of the Director General of information sharing between Saigon Newport Corporation and the Customs, Mr. Thuan expressed his approval to connect and share data with the Customs on the management of goods and means of transportation.

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Director General Nguyen Van Can said that in addition to fixed cameras, the Customs will install mobile scanners at Cat Lai port. The Director General suggested Sai Gon New Port Corporation to plan and arrange the most convenient location for the Customs scanning. The Director General assigned Ho Chi Minh City Customs Department to work with the Sai Gon New Port Corporation to arrange scanners at Cat Lai Port, with the condition that the screening capacity must reach at least the average capacity of a scanning machine.