Solutions to improve efficiency of container screening

	Risk assessment to enhance the efficiency of container screening
	Identifying risks for container screening, violating enterprises exposed

Mobile container scanners operate at Tan Vu port, Hai Phong. Photo: Thai Binh

Exceeding the record of 120,000 screened containers

Deputy Director of the Risk Management Department Ho Ngoc Phan said that the selection and screening of containers by the whole customs sector in 2021 saw strong development and completed the goal of meeting requirements for Covid-19 prevention and control while maintaining stability of customs control and facilitating import-export activities.

The efficiency and effectiveness of screening achieved outstanding results, with the highest number of scanned containers in the past five years, surpassing 120,000 containers, increasing 2.11 times compared with 2020. 712 infringing containers were detected, up 3.08 times compared with the previous year.

Customs found many cases of smuggling and illegal transportation of banned goods and goods without declaration or goods subject to specialized inspection, and goods with high tax rates in large volumes.

Notably, customs proposed to criminally prosecute some cases with signs of violations. The achievement results from the direction of the GDVC’s leaders and the great efforts of specialized units, especially the Risk Management Department.

As a leading department in charge of selecting and inspecting goods via scanners, the department has strengthened coordination with seven provincial and municipal customs departments to overcome difficulties amid the Covid-19 pandemic to improve the efficiency of container screening in the whole customs sector, Phan said.

According to the department’s statistics, the number of scanned containers in Lang Son increased by 4.35 times; 3.36 times in HCM City; 2.19 times in Dong Nai increased; 2.05 times in Hai Phong; 1.57 times in Hanoi; 1.44 times in Da Nang.

The number of violating containers via selection and screening in most areas rose. The detected infringing containers in HCM City surged 28.58 times year-on-year to 343 containers, up 3.33 times to 270 containers in Hai Phong City; up 8.75 times to 35 containers in Dong Nai; up 4.2 times to 21 containers in Da Nang and up 1.5 times to 12 containers in Lang Son.

Creating favorable conditions for businesses

To ensure the efficiency of selecting and regulating the screening of import and export goods, Deputy Director Ho Ngoc Phan said the Risk Management Department will focus on implementing the following six key tasks in 2022.

First, the department continues to strengthen the role of regulating screening activities in the whole customs sector to ensure smooth operation, facilitate import and export activities, and ensure customs management.

Second, the department regularly grasps the situation, exchanges information and coordinates with the local customs departments where the scanners are installed, and related units to promptly handle problems and propose solutions to improve screening efficiency. In addition, the department will grasp the situation and progress of local customs departments that will be equipped with container scanners in 2022 to coordinate in performing selection and screening.

Third, the division of the Risk Management Department coordinates with customs branches and the Customs Enforcement Team to regulate goods screening, facilitating enterprises in carrying out the screening in seaports or checkpoints outside the border gate, in line with the shipping route and the businesses’ proposals.

Fourth, the department will strengthen goods screening during loading and unloading on seaport routes (in HCM City, Hai Phong and Da Nang); closely monitor and supervise the screening and physical inspection for suspected cases.

Fifth, the department will improve the quality of development, management and application of plans on risk control, risk dossiers and profile of risk businesses for effective analysis, identification, selection and screening.

Sixth, it will coordinate with relevant units to develop plans on risk identification and screening to meet the requirements of Smart Customs and Digital Customs models; focusing on training and improving human resources.