KARAHI: The Directorate of Reforms and Automation has made necessary changes in the WeBOC system and barred the shipping lines from making amendments in Import General Manifest (IGM) after the stipulated time of 18 hours of the expected time of arrival (ETA) of vessels and I2 hours in case of vessels sailing from Asian and Gulf region ports.

In order to streamline the procedure of IGM a procedure has been laid down for seamless implementation.

All matters pertaining to IGM amendments shall be dealt with by Deputy/Assistant Collector (DC/AC), MIS, MCC, Port Muhammad Bin Qasim, Karachi after summary adjudication.

The application seeking any of the following changes in the particulars of IGM shall be presented by shipping lines/agents and in case of Co-Loader application both from master of the vessel and Co-Loader to DC/AC (MIS):

  1. i) Change in consignee/consignor name and address, bill of lading number, port of loading, port of discharge, weight, number of packages, correction in container numbers, filing of supplementary IGM within 15 days of filing of IGM, change of via port, change in the mode of deliveryviz. CY-CFS and vice versa etc;
  2. ii) Typographical mistakes/errors like missing alphabet in the name, or digit in weight, number of packages, description etc if the Goods Declaration has not been filed.

The applicant shall apply in writing to the DC/AC (MIS) for amendment in IGM through a request letter along with application for summary adjudication along with following documents:

Correction advice from the shipper, Port of Loading, (if email printout then must be attested by the shipping agent and it’s Co-Loader; Original Bill of Lading, if not surrendered to the shipper; NOC from first consignee (in case consignee is not traceable, an undertaking on non-judicial stamp paper shall be submitted by the shipping on prescribed format; NOC from the bank concerned if transaction is through Letter of Credit (LC) or any other banking instrument; Undertaking from second consignee in whose favor the amendment is to be made on stamp paper; In case of typographical errors/mistakes, the shipping agent shall provide undertaking for such amendments along with original Bill of Lading (if not surrendered); In case of supplementary IGM, attested copy of Master and House Bill of Lading, Invoice/Packing List, Printout of IGM/VIR 2001 duly endorsed by shipping line and data on USB for uploading in the WeBOC system.

The Import section/designated section shall only receive such amendment requests from the shipping agent where all the requisite documents as detailed above are provided/annexed with the application. No application shall be received if any prescribed document is missing.

The Import section/designated section shall check all the documents and, if found in order, shall put up the amendment request on file to DC/AC (MIS). The DC/AC (MIS) after scrutinizing the nature of the amendment shall summarily adjudicate the case on file imposing penalty as deemed appropriate.

The amendment in the WeBOC system shall be carried out once the fees at the rate of two hundred and fifty rupees per data filed and the penalty so imposed has been deposited in the national exchequer and copy of the paid challan is provided.

Amendment from General Cargo to Export Processing Zone shall be allowed at the level of Additional Collector (MIS). No application regarding change in consignee’s name and address in IGM shall be entertained in cases where the Goods Declaration has already been filed claiming clearances of vehicles in terms of Personal Baggage, Transfer of Residence and Gift Scheme under the relevant Import Policy Order except typographical mistake/error.

Once the process of IGM amendment is completed, the file shall be kept by the Import Section/designated section for safe custody and record. DC/AC (MIS) will ensure that the whole process of amendment shall not take more than 48 hours from the submission of amendment request.