VietNamNet Bridge – Importers complain that they now have to pay a higher storage fee because it takes agencies more time than before to have specialized examination.

Under the new Customs Law which took effect on January 1, 2015, the goods subject to specialized examination must be kept at the border gates until they receive a customs clearance. Thus businesses have to keep their goods at port while waiting for their turn to have goods examined.

Businesses have long been complaining about the complicated procedures and the goods deadlock at HCM City’s ports, especially at Cat Lai port, which has the highest number of goods.

A representative of Marine Functional Vietnam, an animal feed producer, said it takes at least 10-15 days to obtain the document on food safety and other relevant agencies.

Seafood importers said they were anxious because the products should not be left for many days at ports under unfavorable conditions.

Meanwhile, they have to pay higher electricity bill and storage fees, even though they must leave import containers longer than forecasted because of state agencies’ slow processing.

According to a senior executive of an import-export company, in general, importers do not have to pay a container storage fee if they leave products at ports for five days.

However, they have to pay $42 per day from the sixth and subsequent day.

As for the imports from Europe, businesses can make customs declarations before the goods arrive, which can help them save time and money. Meanwhile, it takes much more time to receive imports from Asian countries.

“It takes three days only to carry goods from Thailand to Vietnam, but the deeds only come after five days. We have to wait 7-21 days more for the imports to be examined by relevant agencies,” he complained.

The director of a HCM City-based seafood company, which imports 50 containers of materials for domestic processing a month, said due to the deadlock which has been serious since the beginning of the year, the company has to pay VND1.5 million more a day on electricity and $40-80 per day for storage fee.

“Our profits are modest because we have to import materials for domestic processing,” he complained.

“We are going to ask for permission to keep import materials at our storehouses instead of leaving at ports, while waiting to have them examined by appropriate agencies,” he said.

The Saigon Port Customs Agency confirmed that the deadlock was serious at Cat Lai Port. Therefore, in the immediate time, the agency is still using the old regulation, allowing enterprises to carry goods to their storehouses or reasonable places for storing before they get their customs clearance.

Kim Chi