Customs Clearing

Yes, we do. Through our global representation in over 80 countries and 113 locations, we can easily handle shipments to and from any part of the world from the Americas; East, West, North and Southern Africa; Europe; Asia and Australasia.

We move anything and everything under any of the 11 incoterms: EXW, FAS, FOB, FCA, CPT, CFR, CIF, CIP, DAP, DDP, and DPU.

We handle anything from the smallest courier-size package to medium-sized crates and pallets up to abnormal breakbulk loads from suppliers to consignee premises all over the world through our multimodal offering of air, sea and road.

Different countries have different customs regimes and processes which impact the amount of time it takes to customs clear a shipment. Export clearances are generally quicker and hassle free versus imports which may require inspections over and above settlement of applicable customs VAT and duties. It is always advisable to pre-clear cargo before arriving at destination port of entry to mitigate any delays in getting the goods to the end user.

Customs do normally notify either the carrier or the clearing agent through an official letter regarding findings and subsequent sanction. Some parties dealing directly with customs will then relay the same information to the affected importer/exporter.

Depending on the country’s system, this is either done manually by submitting a full set of documents to the customs office for processing or electronically via EDI. Once customs has examined the documents and are satisfied with the information and received the relevant payments, goods can or will then be released either by stamping the documents or issuing an electronic copy of the release.

Yes, every regular importer/exporter needs to be licensed by customs and issued an official customs code.

Clearing agents are licensed to deal with customs on behalf of importers and exporters but some companies and individuals must also be licensed to import and export goods into and out of the Republic. The application process is free with the submission of a DA185 form accompanied by the relevant supporting documents.