The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has started rolling out Pre-arrival Cargo Clearance System (PVOC) aimed at speeding up the movement of cargo from the Port of Mombasa.
This will ensure timely delivery of raw materials and other goods, including essential supplies to the market.
KRA Commissioner General Mr John Njiraini described the move an important step in the Authority’s quest to make Mombasa Port more attractive to investors and reduce the cost of doing business.
Speaking at the Port of Mombasa after holding a consultative meeting with executives from the shipping industry at the Kenya Ports Authority headquarters, Mr Njiraini said the move by KRA will see timely delivery of raw materials and enable firms to lower their costs of production which may be passed to consumers.
“We want to take the process a couple of steps back so that the lodging of documents and the payment of duties and other levies are paid before cargo arrives. By the time the cargo arrives at the Port, the importer is in a position to take charge and remove the Cargo from the Port and avoid paying demurrage charges,” Mr Njiraini said.
“We have agreed to start the process of implementing the system. There are a couple of issues that we need to look at in terms of the supply chain and we have agreed to meet in a month’s time, essentially we will have addressed issues to make it possible for them to clear their cargo before it arrives.”
The Commissioner General said the Authority is fully committed to the implementation of the 2014 Port Charter that requires 70 per cent of cargo imported through the port of Mombasa to be cleared under the Pre-arrival Cargo Clearance System by 2017.