CASA conducts seminar on E-vessel clearance

Ceylon Association of Shipping Agents (CASA), the voice of the shipping industry, conducted a seminar on E-vessel clearance in collaboration with Sri Lanka Customs (SLC) on 29 December 2017 at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Auditorium. 

Jayantha Buddhadasa, Director – Revenue and Services Provincial; Sudath Silva, Deputy Director of Customs – ICT; Srilal De Alwis, Chief Preventive Officer; Rohana Senadeera, Deputy Director of Customs Preventive Operations; and Nalin Dharmapala and Rajitha Wijerathne – Asst. Superintendents of Customs attended the seminar on behalf of Sri Lanka Customs to educate the participants on how the new system works. 

E-vessel clearance, an initiative of Sri Lanka Customs is expected to replace the current manual process used for vessel clearance. The new system will allow vessel operators to register the vessel electronically prior to its berthing and request for vessel sailing clearance certificate online. The suggested process will also streamline the Customs inspection process and standardise the format of the Vessel Clearance Certificate which is issued by SLC. The bonded store is also included in the new process where the local agent will have to mention the bonded store requirement in the outward clearance request which will bring in greater transparency to the process. 

Customs officials further stated that E-vessel clearance is just one project amongst many large projects they have already commenced under the Trade Facilitation Blueprint. They expressed their optimism about the changes that are being implemented with the intention of improving ease of doing business in Sri Lanka.