NSW Officially Launched at Int’l Seaports

 

As the standing agency for the National Steering Committee, the General Department of Vietnam Customs (GDC) has actively coordinated with the Vietnam Maritime Administration under the Ministry of Transport and other relevant agencies to provide training for shipping firms (shipping lines, shipping agents, carriers), and authorities in five provinces/cities with international seaports: Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, and Ba Ria - Vung Tau. Besides, units concerned have also coordinated in completing IT system upgrading and business process services for the official deployment of NSW. GDC has also instructed Customs Departments of the five chosen localities to arrange personnel and computer systems to support businesses in performing procedures at the early stage. About 2,000 businesses have taken part in the pilot programme.

 

A GDC official said the pilot programme at the Port of Haiphong is a valuable preparatory time for the official launch of NSW at international seaports in the country. At the early stage, the business community and authorities reflected on emerging difficulties in technique and processing procedures as well. GDC actively coordinated with relevant ministries and agencies to handle them in an expeditious manner. So far, all difficulties have been basically settled at the Port of Haiphong. Specially, GDC established a NSW support unit to understand situations and assist businesses and relevant agencies to carry out NSW. However, this is a new system with new procedures and processes, thus businesses and authorities still needed time to get familiar with it although they had been trained and practised before. Hence, difficulties may emerge after the official launch of NSW. GDC has anticipated this and prepared support plans (setting up support units at Customs Departments). The customs sector will always accompany the business community to ensure the smooth deployment of NSW and settle emerging issues in an effective way.

 

To carry out directions of the Government and the National Steering Committee for ASW and NSW, in 2015, NSW will be implemented in both dimension and depth, across the nation and on the international arena. Internationally, in 2015, Vietnam will try to connect with the ASW. Nationally, the NSW will be implemented extensively and intensively. In breadth, the system is expected to add three ministries: The Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in June. Intensively, with three implementing ministries (the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Industry and Trade), the system will expand administrative procedures at NSW-joining ministries. For example, at the Ministry of Transport, procedures for vessels on entry, exit and transit will be carried out together with some procedures at the Vietnam Register and the Vietnam Maritime Administration at the aforesaid international seaports.