Turkey Customs Advanced Cargo Regulation

This rule requires all ocean carriers to submit a list of customs-defined manifest data to Turkey Customs at least 24 hours prior to cargo loading at Port of Loading. The regulation is applicable to all import and transshipped cargo to/via Turkey.

Freight remaining on Board (FROB cargo) is not covered by this regulation.

Deadlines

The regulation requires the carrier to declare the cargo within specific time limits:

Short sea cargo (ports of Mediterranean and Black Seas): 2 hours before arrival at first port of entry in Turkish Customs Territory. In order to comply with this requirement and handle customs responses and time differences, shippers are required to submit complete and accurate shipping instructions at least 12 hours prior to vessel departure from the port of loading
Deep sea cargo: 24 hours prior to loading at Port of loading In order to comply with this requirement and handle customs responses and time differences, shippers are required to submit complete and accurate shipping instructions at least 48 hours prior to vessel departure from the port of loading

Cargo information to be submitted

The mandatory data elements to be included in the transmission are:

Shipper’s full style name and address
Consignee ’s full style name and address + VAT registration number
Notify party’s full style name and address if the consignee is “to order” + VAT registration number
Container number(s) • Seals number(s) • Cargo gross weight (goods + tare)
Net weight (goods)
Number of packages
Package type
HS code
Goods description
UN dangerous goods code for shipments containing hazardous goods

We would like to advise our customers that the following Advanced Manifest Filing charge will be applicable for all shipments with the ETD of 1st Feb 2025:

DescriptionCharge Amount
Advance Manifest Filing ChargeUS$25 per B/L

Should you have any inquiries relating to this regulation, please feel free to contact our local customer service representatives. Thank you.

Shipping Instruction Requirement for Export to Jordan (IMPORTANT)

We would like to draw your immediate attention to a mandatory requirement for
shipments to Jordan in accordance with local customs regulations. This requirement
pertains specifically to the Consignee details and is crucial for ensuring smooth
clearance of goods.

Mandatory Requirement:

  • The Consignee’s Tax Identification Number (TAX ID) must be clearly listed
    in the Consignee or Notify Party Address field on the BL. This information is
    essential for proper manifest processing.
  • Any overflow of information into the BL Body will result in the rejection of the
    manifest by Jordan Customs, and the shipment will be considered an invalid
    record.

Non-compliance with this regulation will lead to severe penalties, including multiplying
fines and delays in the clearance process.

To avoid such issues, we kindly ask for your immediate attention and full support in
ensuring that all shipping instructions are complete and accurate. This will help ensure
the smooth processing of your shipments and avoid any unnecessary complications.

Should you have any questions or require further clarification, feel free to contact our
local offices.

Thank you for your prompt attention and continued partnership.

Global Customer Service
ESL

India Sea Cargo Manifest and Transshipment Regulations (SCMTR) – Update

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) – India, has extended the implementation
of Sea Cargo Manifest and Transshipment (SCMTR) till following dates for below ports. Till then,
all SCMTR activities will be under parallel run

  • Extension for Tuticorin & Vishakhapatnam till 15/11/2024
  • Extension for Ennore/ Katupalli/ Cochin till 30/11/2024
  • Extension for NSA/Mundra/Hazira/Pipavav & Mangalore till 15/01/2025

Starting from the above specified dates, any non-compliance or deviation may result in
customs delay and penalties. Therefore, we need your attention and cooperation to provide
timely and accurate Shipping Instructions within the stipulated timeline.

Scope of SCMTR

  1. Apply to all cargoes intended for discharge, loading or transshipment at any Indian ports, and
    to the cargoes transiting through any Indian ports (i.e., foreign cargoes remaining on board).
  2. Customs filings as per SCMTR regulation will also apply to any Shipping Line cargoes transiting
    via Indian ports on vessels without any loading or discharge in Indian Ports. Therefore, all
    requirements applicable in this scenario must be fulfilled, including the filing of the manifest for
    foreign cargo remaining on board in such cases.

Sea Arrival Manifest (SAM) – For all containers into India:

  1. SAM must be filed in customs before vessel getting departed from Last Foreign Port of call.
    Example of last foreign port call per proforma schedule: Port Klang for KCIS westbound / Dar
    Es Salaam for GIA northbound / Dammam for SGI northbound.
  2. In any circumstances where omission of proforma last foreign port of call, the previous port of
    call becomes the last foreign port of call.
  3. Shipping Instructions must be provided at least 72 hours before departure of last foreign
    port of call, or the SI Cut off time provided by our POL office per local practice.
  4. For ALL containers discharging for local or transhipment or retain on board at any Indian Ports.
  5. Harmonized (HS) Code of 6 digits is mandatory. Only one major HS code per container is
    required.
  6. Consignee and Notify Party’s IEC Code (10 digits) is mandatory for Indian actual importer
    (not applicable for Forwarder or NVOCC), to be shown on BL Body.
  7. Consignee and Notify Party’s Permanent Account Number (PAN with 10 digits) is mandatory
    for Indian actual importer, Indian Forwarder and NVOCC, to be shown on BL Body.
  8. The local legal identification is required wherever an Indian party is involved (as Shipper,
    Consignee or Notify party).
  9. For personal goods, consignee’s Passport number instead of IEC is mandatory.
  10. Cargo Invoice value is currently OPTIONAL on Manifest and NOT NEEDED ON OBL.

Permission for Amendments
General Amendments:

  1. All amendments related to an import shipment must be received prior to 48 hours before the
    departure of the vessel from the last foreign port of call.
  2. Any changes in the bill of lading information after the filing of the Import manifest with Indian
    customs would necessitate an amendment to the manifest and subject to approval from the
    Customs authorities. Such manifest amendments attract customs fines and penalties.

Switch B/L:
The issuance of Switch B/L is permitted, but it must be completed before 72 hours of the
vessel’s sailing from the last foreign port of loading before India. However, it is important to note
that the Switch B/L is not feasible for containers loaded from the last foreign port of call before India
due to time constraints.

Change of destination (COD):

  1. Change of destination (COD) will be allowed only 72 hours before the vessel departs from the
    last port of call.
  2. Any changes in the bill of lading information after this deadline will lead to discrepancies in the
    arrival manifest.
  3. In such cases, customs manifest amendment is inevitable, and it attracts customs fines and
    penalties.
  4. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that any change of destination requests must be made within
    the specified timeframe to avoid complications and penalties

Remark: Above timelines are to Indian customs. All requests are subject to the acceptance of
ESL by evaluating the internal and external amendment process with customs approval.
Customs amendment charge is subject to final decision by customs.

House BL (HBL) Filing arrangement

  1. Deadline for submission of house BLs by forwarders in India should be 72 hours prior departure
    of the vessel at last foreign port.
  2. DPD, DPD/CFS, switch details to be informed to the carrier by local forwarders or consignees’
    prior departure of the vessel at last foreign port.

For ensuring smooth process, we will keep close liaison with concerned parties for system and
process integration. We are looking forward to your kind support and get familiarized with the
Regulations. Please contact our local agencies if any assistance is required. You may also visit
our website https://www.emiratesline.com for more details.

Global Customer Experience
Emirates Shipping Line

IEX service launch

We are pleased to announce the launch of a new service – the India East Mediterranean
Express (IEX) – the first in the market connecting India directly with North Egypt and South
Türkiye.

Committed to creating innovative network solutions on underserved lanes, ESL has
launched the IEX to connect India directly to the East Mediterranean. Customers in the Far
East, Southeast Asia and other parts of India can tap into this service via Mundra, and
customers in the Middle East via Jeddah.

With the launch of IEX, ESL’s GRC service rotation has also been slightly modified to ensure
optimal coverage and service frequency.

IEX service rotation: Mundra – Jeddah – Alexandria – Mersin – Iskenderun – Jeddah – Mundra

GRC service rotation: Jebel Ali – Jeddah – Aqaba – Sokhna – Jeddah – Jebel Ali

The IEX service will commence from Mundra, and the revamped GRC service will depart from Jebel
Ali, both in early November.

Please refer to the attached brochure for more information about the IEX service. Should you
require further information, please visit our website (https://www.emiratesline.com) or contact
your local customer service representative.

Global Customer Service
Emirates Shipping Line

IEX service launch

We are pleased to announce the launch of a new service – the India East Mediterranean
Express (IEX) – the first in the market connecting India directly with North Egypt and South
Türkiye.

Committed to creating innovative network solutions on underserved lanes, ESL has
launched the IEX to connect India directly to the East Mediterranean. Customers in the Far
East, Southeast Asia and other parts of India can tap into this service via Mundra, and
customers in the Middle East via Jeddah.

With the launch of IEX, ESL’s GRC service rotation has also been slightly modified to ensure
optimal coverage and service frequency.

IEX service rotation: Mundra – Jeddah – Alexandria – Mersin – Iskenderun – Jeddah – Mundra

GRC service rotation: Jebel Ali – Jeddah – Aqaba – Sokhna – Jeddah – Jebel Ali

The IEX service will commence from Mundra, and the revamped GRC service will depart from Jebel
Ali, both in early November.

Please refer to the attached brochure for more information about the IEX service. Should you
require further information, please visit our website (https://www.emiratesline.com) or contact
your local customer service representative.

Global Customer Service
Emirates Shipping Line

FHX and FNX service launch

We are pleased to announce the launch of two new services – the Fahari (FHX) service and
the Fanaka (FNX) service – which evolved from our previous Far East Africa Express (FAX).

Both services provide seamless connectivity from Chinese markets to East Africa. Our
Fahari (FHX) service will have Mombasa, Kenya as its sole East African call, while our
Fanaka (FNX) service has Dar es Salaam, Tanzania as its focus East African market.

Both service names – Fahari (Pride or Splendor in Swahili) and Fanaka (Prosperity or
Success in Swahili) – were chosen as a reminder of our commitment to the region: to create
splendour through taking pride in our service to the East African market, while continuously
driving prosperity for and delivering success to our customers.

These service names aren’t just words; they’re our commitment to you – our customers. We
are committed to enhancing service reliability to the region with these direct and consistent
weekly services.

FHX service rotation: Qingdao – Shanghai – Ningbo – Nansha – Port Klang – Mombasa – Port Klang
– Qingdao

FNX service rotation: Qingdao – Shanghai – Ningbo – Nansha – Shekou – Port Klang – Dar es
Salaam – Port Klang – Qingdao

The FNX service will commence on 20th October, while the FHX service will commence on 21st
October, both departing from Qingdao

Please refer to the attached brochures for more information about the FHX and FHX services.
Should you require further information, please visit our website (https://www.emiratesline.com) or
contact your local customer service representative.

Global Customer Service
Emirates Shipping Line

GLX & CMX Revamp; SMX Service Launch

We are pleased to announce the revamp of our existing Galaxy (GLX) and Cosmos (CMX)
services, as well as the launch of our new Sirius (SMX) service. Collectively, all three
services enhance overall Far East-Middle East connectivity, providing the widest and most
in-depth coverage in the market.

The Sirius service, named after the brightest star in the night sky, lights the way to further
connectivity between the Far East and Middle East, with a focus on serving key South
Chinese ports, viz. Nansha and Da Chan Bay.

At the same time, we have further made modifications to the GLX and CMX service rotations
by reshuffling port calls to continue creating network solutions optimised to evolving market
demands. The strategic alignment of routes has reduced transit times and increased service
frequency between regions, as well as enhanced overall network connectivity. Hamad and
Bahrain are the newest additions to our Far East-Middle East specialised services.

GLX service rotation: Busan – Qingdao – Xiamen – Da Chan Bay – Port Klang – Jebel Ali –
Dammam – Bahrain – Busan

CMX service rotation: Shanghai – Ningbo – Shekou – Singapore – Jebel Ali – Khor Fakkan – Sohar –
Port Klang – Shanghai

SMX service rotation: Nansha – Da Chan Bay – Port Klang – Jebel Ali – Hamad – Nansha

The revamped GLX and CMX services will commence on 29th October from Busan and Shanghai
respectively, while the SMX maiden voyage will begin on 8th November.

Please refer to the attached brochures for more information about the revamped GLX and CMX
services, as well as the new SMX service. Should you require further information, please visit our
website (https://www.emiratesline.com) or contact your local customer service representative.

Global Customer Service
Emirates Shipping Line

Kuwait Customs Regulation – CARGO ON PALLET

Please be informed that Kuwait Customs has implemented new regulation of CARGO ON PALLET with effective from 01 August 2024.

Below is the rough translation of rule for your easy reference. Please ensure to strictly comply with the Kuwait customs requirement for smooth export and import formalities. Any consequences of incompliance will be on customers’ account.


Rough translation of Kuwait Customs’ new requirement:

Recently, it has been observed that many consignments arrive without adhering to the security and safety conditions stipulated in Customs Instructions No. 95 of 2017, as many of the cargoes are arriving loose. Therefore, the regulations are not observed as stated, i.e. the goods are packed randomly and unpalletized, which makes their handling difficult. In addition to the consequences, it entails delays and occupying a large space of yards, in addition to the exposure of the goods to damage during their inspection. This is thereby leading to difficulty of the process of extracting, inspecting, and returning these random goods, which has a negative impact on the integrity of the inspection and obstructs the employees of the Customs Administration from carrying out their duties and exercising their right to inspect, audit and inspect in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
Hence for security purpose, Kuwait port authority has decided the following:

Item (1) –

  • All cargoes to be carefully and neatly palletized.
  • If cargo found NONE palletized upon custom inspection, the container/cargo will be stopped by customs.
  • Customs will issue a memo of penalizing of KD 80/- to the customer directly.
  • Only when the penalty of KD 80/- is paid, the container/cargo will be released by customs.

Item (2) –

  • Some goods are excluded from the conditions mentioned in item (1) above, which cannot be placed on pallet because of its own nature i.e., which weighs more than 2 tons or more than 2 meters in length, cargoes included but not limited to: (Pipes -heavy equipment – Cars and Vehicles – used car parts – animals and livestock – Steel -iron scrap – Prefabricated houses).

Item (3) –

  • In the event of non-compliance and violation of the provisions of Article (1), a fine of KD.80 shall be imposed in accordance with the provisions of Article (31) of the Implementing Regulations items (3-6).

Item (4) –

  • If repeated violation and non-compliance with what was stated in Item 1, a fine of KD 400 – shall be imposed in accordance with the text of Article (30) of the Executive Regulations, Clause (11), where non-compliance with the conditions contained in Clause (11) shall be considered “First” i.e., Obstructing Customs Administration employees from carrying out their duties and exercising their right to inspect, audit.

Additional remark – Number of Pallets should be manifested.
Therefore, managers are requested to inform and instruct their specialists to adhere to the above.

Issued on 24 Jul 2024
Director General of the General Administration of Customs

RTX Service

We are pleased to introduce our new Red Sea Türkiye Express (RTX) service

The weekly RTX service provides access to new export markets for customers in the Far East
and Indian Subcontinent and to import opportunities for customers in the Middle East and
East Africa. Türkiye will be connected to the expansive ESL network via key Red Sea ports, viz
Jeddah and Aqaba.

RTX service rotation: Ambarli Kumport – Izmit Korfezi – Izmir Aliaga – Jeddah – Aqaba –
Ambarli Kumport

The maiden voyage will depart from Jeddah in mid-August.

Please refer to the attached brochure for more information about the RTX service. Should you
require further information, please visit our website (https://www.emiratesline.com) or
contact your local customer service representative.

Global Customer Service
Emirates Shipping Line

IFX Service

We are pleased to introduce our latest Far East Chennai Express (IFX) service. The IFX
service enhances Far East Asia coverage through direct routing between Korea and East
India, and increased frequency between North China via Qingdao, Central China via
Shanghai, and South China via Shekou. Transshipment opportunities to the Middle East,
Red Sea and East Africa are also available via Port Klang.

IFX service rotation: Busan – Qingdao – Shanghai – Shekou – Singapore – Port Klang –
Chennai – Vizag – Port Klang – Singapore – Manila – Busan

The maiden voyage will depart from Busan in early August.

Please refer to the attached brochure for more information about the IFX service. Should
you require further information, please visit our website (https://www.emiratesline.com) or
contact your local customer service representative.

Global Customer Service
Emirates Shipping Line