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But even though this was project cargo, the size of the cargo wasn’t the
most difficult part of the job. “The documentation process is indeed
tricky,” said Patrick Lee, CEO of CNC Freight Services, “This is due to
vessel’s fast transit time, only 12 days from Port Lumut to Port Sudan.” But
because of port formalities even pre-clearing the cargo the time frame was
still very tight. “In Port Sudan, all oversized cargoes must be discharged
direct from vessel,” explained Lee, “Vessels are not allowed to berth for
direct discharge if documentation is not cleared ahead of vessel arrival.
The customs clearance overall process takes almost the same time. This takes
into account of application, processing of import tax exemption formalities
which takes place in the capital of Khartoum and can drag on up to more than
a week. After which, it takes another 3 – 4 days for the papers to be
cleared at seaport.”
For success
in project traffic to Sudan, Lee recommends being on the ball with
the paperwork from the beginning. “One has to pay utmost attention
on the documentation process ensuring all documents are handed
quickly to [the clearing agent in Sudan,” advises Lee, “For this
vessel charter on “Mellum”, despite all the close monitoring, the
vessel had to wait for more than 24 hours waiting for the cargo to
be cleared. And we ended up paying a day’s demurrage charges.” And
Patrick Lee feels he got off lucky with only one day’s demurrage. “There have been worse scenerios for some parties
unaware about the local operations and in one case more than 8 days of
detention was involved,” says Lee, “At USD18,000 per day, it came up to USD
144,000.”
Patrick Lee stresses that getting the documentation done speedily requires
very close communication and coordination with the consignee’s
representatives. “By now we were very much integrated with all parties at
destination,” says Lee, ”With close coordination with the consignee
logistics personnel in both Khartoum and Port Sudan and local shipping agent
as well as the local forwarder, we were able to synchronize for the smooth
discharge of the cargoes.”
CNC Freight Services Sdn Bhd is an international freight forwarding company
based in Port Klang, Malaysia, that specializes in project cargo forwarding.
CNC is also a Global Project Logistics Network member in Malaysia. The
Global Projects Logistics Network (GPLN) is an internationally well known
non-exclusive professional project logistics group for independent companies
specializing in international projects shipping by air, sea and land as well
as specialized lifts and handling of oversized, out-of-gauge and heavy lift
cargo. |
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