KRA to roll out port cargo clearance hub

Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) will tomorrow launch its Integrated Customs Management System (iCMS) for land and sea services.

The taxman rolled out iCMS for air cargo services on March 10 and the system is expected to boost efficiency in cargo clearance at the country’s border points.

In a notice, KRA has invited stakeholders for the public participation to be conducted in different venues across the country, especially at border towns.

It says the new system to run on the latest technological platforms will be seamlessly connected with its internal systems and external stakeholders for faster clearance.

“To enhance efficiency in service delivery, KRA is implementing iCMS. Land and sea cargo services will be rolled out on July 7, 2019,” said a notice inviting stakeholders to the meeting.

KRA would wish to avoid a situation such as the one during the rollout of the ICMS air cargo services which led to confusion and delays as many users were yet to fully adopt its operations.

The system will facilitate automatic upload of cargo import information to prevent falsification and enable exchange of information with iTax to counter non-compliant traders.

Shippers or their agents will be required to submit cargo clearance documentation such as import declaration forms, cargo manifests, security bonds, cargo declarations and exemptions.

On July 9, the team will be at Kenya School of Government in Mombasa and Moyale’s KRA conference hall. On July 10, the discussions will take place in Lunga Lunga.

“KRA has invited shipping lines and agents, importers, exporters, clearing and forwarding agents, cargo consolidators and the general public to engage,” said the notice.

ICMS is one of programme which KRA says will improve the customs processes and procedures to allow for less paperwork, and thus faster clearance of cargo.

It will also enable pre-arrival processing of goods.  

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