Simplifying port entrance / departure procedures
When foreign vessels enter or depart from a Japanese port, various procedures are required for pilotage, tug-boats, fuel / water supply, customs, immigration, food quarantine, and animal / plant quarantine, in addition to having to notify port administrators and port managers regarding arrival / departure details and use of mooring facilities. Among these procedures, those associated with port entry / departure have been targeted by numerous demands for improvement. Therefore, the Ministry of Transport tries to simplify those procedures to achieve more efficient port logistics. Specifically, a standard format has been prepared for the application to obtain permission to use mooring facilities (valid for all eight major ports, etc.). Also, facsimile services are now available for port entry / departure procedures.
Adopting EDI in port logistics
Major ports around the world are rapidly adopting Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) systems to handle various procedures required at port entry / departure. Japan offers the Sea-Naccs system, customs information processing system for marine freight, used by both private and public sectors, including customs offices, customs agencies, and banks. The system provides online processing of procedures for import / export declaration, import / consumption duties, and import / export permission notices. Moreover, in a bid to promote further use of Information Technologies and improve port efficiency, the Ministry of Transport is studying the development of an EDI system for port entry / departure procedures to be used by port administrators and port managers and linked to the Sea-Naccs system. The target launch date has been set for autumn 1999.
