From 1 May, Malaysia’s Ministry of Transport has set a three-day limit for all imported container goods to leave the Port Klang container yard — from the date of entry to customs clearance. Wee Ka Siong, the Transport Minister, said the move will boost Port Klang’s efficiency and prevent containers from stacking up at the yard. He went on to say that under the new rules, freight will be inspected by customs authorities on the first day after arrival, and the examination would be reviewed the next day. Customs clearance procedures must be completed by the third day.
However, said the minister: “If the containers have to be investigated, then authorities have up to 30 days to complete the customs checks.
“For example, if someone imported a used car and claimed it was manufactured in 2019, and if customs officers suspect that the year of production is falsely declared, the container and its cargo can be detained and investigated for up to 30 days.
“In the past, the government never set deadlines for imported containers to clear customs checks, resulting in some containers being kept in the storage yard for up to five years without any importers coming to claim them.”
Mr Wee said for customs clearance to be expedited, liner operators must also play their part, by submitting all necessary documentation. He added: “If this process succeeds in Port Klang, we will implement it in other ports in Malaysia.”
Port Klang, Malaysia’s largest container port, was the world’s 12th busiest container port last year, having handled an record 13.64m teu, as container shipping experienced an unprecedented boom. Dubai’s Jebel Ali port, ranked 11th, handled only 20,000 teu more, a shortfall Mr Wee blamed on floods that hit Malaysia last year.
