South Sudan introduces cargo tracking to reduce illegalities

According to the East African, about 1.5 million metric tonnes of cargo currently leaving the country will go through the process of tagging before leaving the country as part of measures to curb the transportation of illegal, undeclared goods.

The new tracking measures will be implemented through the Electronic Cargo Tracking Note (ECTN), the mandatory shipping document for importing cargo to 25 African Countries, South Sudan Minister of Finance and Planning Dr Bak Barnaba Chol announced.

The process will be run by Invesco Uganda Ltd under the supervision of the Customs Revenue Division of South Sudan Revenue Authority.

An agent service charge of $350 will be required from all importers and exporters.

“The sole purpose of the ECTN is to help the government of South Sudan to maximise its revenue collection by remedying the challenges of underestimation, undervaluation, diversion of cargo and round-tripping,” Dr. Chol was quoted by the East African.

Kenyan clearing and forwarding agents have proposed that the payments should be made to South Sudan agents rather than Kenyan brokers to prevent extra transportation costs.

“We strongly objected to any suggestion of using Kenyan agents in processing and collection of the ECTN service charge as it will lead to massive delays in clearance of South Sudan cargo, leading to high demurrage and truck detention charges which at the end will be borne by Kenyan agents Kenya,” International Freight and Warehouse Association (Kifwa) chair Roy Mwanthi was quoted.

The move forms part of efforts to reduce illegalities and the transportation of substandard goods by the country which exports over 1.5 million metric tonnes of goods through Uganda from the port of Mombasa annually.