Mordernising customs control and supervision with equipment

Portable container scanning machine at Long Bien ICD. Photo: N.Linh

As of December 15, 2020, the Customs sector has equipped and put into use equipment for the management, inspection and supervision of customs for exported and imported goods; means of transport on exit and entry in areas with a large volume of import and export goods including 15 container scanning machines, 39 surveillance camera systems and 12 monitor systems connected to surveillance cameras, 68 cargo scanning machines, 2,000 electronic navigation seal devices, and 35 automobile scales.

With the scanning machine system put into use, it has contributed to shorten the time for inspection, clearance, and release of import and export goods.

To complete the process of inspection and supervision with scanning machines, in 2020, the General Department of Vietnam Customs issued Decision No. 3272/QD-TCHQ on inspection of exported and imported goods by container scanning machines; completing regulations on key determination for import and export goods; amending and supplementing Decisions defining the functions, tasks, powers and organisational structure of units to perform tasks related to the management, use and operation of container scanning machines.

In parallel, implementing Decision No. 721/QD-BTC dated May 17, 2018 of the Minister of Finance approving the project of investment in electronic positioning seal system serving the supervision of goods subjected to customs supervision transporting by container of the General Department of Vietnam Customs.

In 2020, the Customs Control and Supervision Department advised the General Department of Vietnam Customs to continue directing units to urgently implement the electronic navigation seal system. Since June 2020, expanding the implementation and handed over 2,000 seals to 14 provincial customs departments, initially showing efficiency.

In order to continue equipping, managing and effectively using customs inspection and supervision equipment, in 2021, the customs authority will continue to review, evaluate and determine the need for additional equipment to assist the management, inspection and supervision of import and export goods, means of transport on entry and exit, and luggage of people on entry and exit in accordance with law provisions in the following years.

Continue to study solutions, build professional requirements to connect equipment serving the management, inspection and supervision of customs with the e-customs data processing system as required in the scheme on the re-design the overall customs information technology system in order to achieve the highest efficiency in use, with priority given to areas that need key control.

Connecting image data from surveillance and identification camera systems equipped with the customs electronic data processing system; applying artificial intelligence in image analysis and risk warning; equipped with additional cameras to meet the requirements of customs management and supervision.