By selecting UK flag, you have now set your site language to English. If you'd like to change your language preference again, simply click on one of the other flags.

Close

こちら Japan flag を選択して頂くと、言語設定が日本語に切り替わります。設定変更後は以下の機能が利用可能です。

  • 日本語版ウェブサイトへのクイックアクセスが可能となり、日本語の刊行物をご覧頂けます。

  • 日本語版が閲覧可能な刊行物や記事については、日本語が優先表示されます。表示言語については Japan flag をご参照下さい。

閉じる 言語設定を切り替えたい場合には、国旗のマークをクリックして下さい。

By selecting Japan flag, you have now set your language to Japanese. This has several benefits, including:

  • Providing quick access to our Japan page, which collates all our Japanese content in one place.

  • Ensures that content is presented to you in Japanese first, if we have an article, publication or webpage available in Japanese. Look out for the Japan flag indicators across the site.

Close If you’d like to change your language preferences again, simply click on one of the other flags.

点击选择 China flag,可将网站语言设置为中文。这能帮助您:

  • 快速访问我们的中国区页面,该页面将有网站内容的中文汇总。

  • 在我们的文章、出版物或者网页有中文版本提供的情况下,确保首先向您展示的是中文版本的内容。您可关注站点上的 China flag 按键。

关闭 点击任意其他国旗,可切换您的语言偏好。

By selecting China flag, you have now set your language to Chinese. This has several benefits, including:

  • Providing quick access to our China page, which collates all our Chinese content in one place.

  • Ensures that content is presented to you in Chinese first, if we have an article, publication or webpage available in Chinese. Look out for the China flag indicators across the site.

Close If you’d like to change your language preferences again, simply click on one of the other flags.

North has merged with Standard Club to form NorthStandard.
Find out more about NorthStandard here or continue on this site to access information and resources.

New Customs Rules in India May Cause Confusion on Bills of Lading

Add
PDF

The introduction of a new customs regulation in India may cause confusion if interpreted as requiring a carrier to show the cargo’s invoice value on the bill of lading, effectively making it an ad valoreum bill of lading.

The Indian Ministry of Finance recently issued the Sea Cargo Manifest and Transhipment Regulations 2018 (“SCMT”) relating to cargo manifests.  These were meant to come into force on 01 August 2019, but it is understood that this has been delayed until 15 September 2019 with an additional grace period until 1 November 2019 for use of new forms.

A key part of the SCMT is to create new standards for the submission of electronic manifests to Indian customs officials. For imports, an electronic import manifest is required to be submitted to Indian Customs prior to the departure of the vessel from the last port of call.  For exports, the export manifest is required to be submitted to India Customs prior to sailing of the vessel from any port of loading in India.

Under the SCMT, several fields of information must be provided when submitting an electronic manifest. A group of fields under Section 1.6.4 relate to the details of the bill of lading and includes one field (1.6.4.38) referring to the invoice value of the consignment.

There is scope to read this to mean that carriers must now issue bills of lading which state the invoice value of the cargo. This would constitute an ad valorem bill of lading with the potential legal effect that the carrier has waived rights of package / weight limitation. 

However, legal experts have confirmed the requirement of to provide invoice value is considered optional by the customs authority at present. Furthermore, the Indian Carriage of Goods By Sea Act does not mandatorily require the issuance of an ad valorem bill of lading.

Our Members are advised to resist issuing an ad valorem bill of lading even if requested on SCMT grounds. If bills of lading are rejected for customs purposes, seek advice from your usual contacts at North.

Welcome to

We've merged with Standard Club to form NorthStandard, this means a new name and look for us, and even better service, support, and cover for you.

You can find out more about NorthStandard on our new website here. As part of the NorthStandard Group, please continue to use nepia.com for your industry news, publications and expertise as well as club rules and contacts.