Operators Want to Make Mauritius Regional Hub for Transhipment

What can a country like Mauritius to the crisis in the euro area? At the Annual General Meeting of the Professional Association of Freight Forwarders, Wednesday, March 21, 2012 at the headquarters of the Mauritius Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), Mahmood Cheeroo identified a track that seems to have found support among forwarders , customs and other operators in the logistics sector port and airport. "Make the reduction of operating costs, an obligation," said the secretary general of my MCCI.

Indeed, on April 16 this year, the port sector will see major developments in respect of the importation of goods in containers. The second phase of the CCS project called Ocean Import Module will enter into force on that date.

Now, the procedure of delivery of containers will be done electronically. Thus, each container has a specific identification number. This number will be assigned by the shipping company when it will deliver to the importer a certificate for recovery of container from the Mauritius Cargo Community Services (MACCS), a joint state-private sector.

It will no longer need to physically drop the Cargo Handling Corporation Ltd (CHCL) an order of delivery of a container currently issued by a shipping company. A document of the importer, freight forwarder or broker will suffice. The shipping company whose vehicles will have access to the port, will be registered with the customs services. This information will be shared with the Mauritius Ports Authority, the Mauritius Cargo Community Services Ltd, and the CHCL).

At the meeting of 21 March 2012 at the headquarters of the MCCI, Sudhamo Lal, director of the Mauritius Revenue Authority has indicated that several initiatives have been taken to facilitate operations in the port and airport.

 He mentioned, among others, the introduction of a computer system that has rendered obsolete the use of paper in terms of administrative procedures for import and export. Now the payment of costs of operations at the customs can be adjusted electronically or in any office of the MRA to Ehram Court, Red Sea or in Plaisance.

Among the measures coming Sudhamo Lal said the revision of the safety and security to the customs, the introduction of a single statement for border agencies with respect to product recovery.

In his speech, Amil Emamdin, president of the PTA, said that since the creation of this association in 1976, it is still considered a partner with other industry players. " It is time for freight forwarders are looking at the possibility of using all the existing tools so that Mauritius can develop a system capable of inspiring both countries in the region than those of the African continent , "he said .