Phnom Penh Autonomous Port logged $7.61 million in revenue in the first quarter, an increase of 29.64 per cent over the same period last year. HIN PISEI
The General Department of Customs and Excise has decided to allow all customs and excise branches to open containers of less-than-container load (LCL) shipments, a new measure in facilitating the export and import of the private sector’s goods in Cambodia.
LCL refers to a mode of shipping internationally via ocean where a container is packed with cargo from multiple people and companies.
A letter on “adjusting the procedure of handling goods in multi-owner containers” which was signed by General Department of Customs and Excise director-general Kun Nhem on Wednesday said the measure eliminates the need for branches to request permission from the department prior to opening LCL containers.
The letter said: “The directors of the customs and excise branches have the right to decide whether to cut the seals off of LCL shipments, unload the goods to fulfil the customs clearance forms and/or to stock in warehouses in accordance with the applicable procedures and regulations.”
Cambodia Logistics Association president Sin Chanthy told The Post on Sunday that adjusting the procedure would help reduce the congestion of goods clearance and reduce the complexity of the procedures to fill out the required forms.
The adjustments will also help to release goods such as raw materials to factories more quickly, he said.
“This is a wonderful move. In the past, port officials did not have permission to open the containers on-the-spot unless they had a permit from the General Department of Customs and Excise of Cambodia. But now they can open the containers and immediately clear the goods,” he said.
Cambodia Chamber of Commerce vice-president Lim Heng said the adjustments to the LCL procedures would reduce time and costs for the private sector.
“We, as the private sector, really support this measure,” he said. “The adjustment helps the goods in the containers be released very quickly.”
Phnom Penh Autonomous Port’s unaudited financial statements sent to the Cambodia Securities Exchange last month showed that in the first quarter, the port logged $7.61 million in revenue, an increase of 29.64 per cent over the same period last year.
The breakdown of business and service results of the port for the first quarter were – 930,023 tonnes of cargo, natural gas and fuel oil was shipped via the port, up three per cent year-on-year; 625 cargo vessels used the port, up 14 per cent; and 74,333 containers were shipped, up 26 per cent.
However, passengers using the port dropped by 22 per cent while the number of passenger boats fell seven per cent.
