NEW DELHI: The Sea Cargo Manifest and Transshipment (Amendment) Regulations, (SCMT) 2019, with the draft amendments to the regulations, have been published by the Director of Customs recently which comes into effect from today.

The details of the draft are as follows.

1. The implementation date of the SCMT remains 01st August 2019.

2. The SCMT regulation is applicable for all cargo to be discharged, loaded or transhipped at any India port & also for cargo transiting via any Indian port (FROB – Foreign cargo remaining on board).

3. It is expected that there would be a leeway of 45 days from the commencement of the SCMT to adopt to the new manifest filing requirements.

4. The current manifest filing forms IGM (Import General Manifest) & EGM (Export General Manifest) need to be continued for a period of three months from the date of commencement of the SCMT.

5. It is expected that the timelines to be adhered for (4) will be as per the new SCMT regulation requirements:

 Arrival Manifest - Import Manifest is now required to be submitted to India customs prior to the departure of the vessel from the last port of call.

Departure Manifest - Export manifest is now required to be submitted to customs prior to the departure/sailing of the vessel from any Port of Loading in India.