THE Chamber of Customs Brokers, Inc (CCBI)
is pushing for the abolition of the IEIRD (Import Entry and
Internal Revenue Declaration) form and the immediate use of
the Single Administrative Document (SAD) to facilitate trade
and effect cost reduction.
CCBI vice president Roberta Riga told PortCalls CCBI is lobbying
for the use of SAD to prevent double handling of data, in
the process reducing clerical errors in typing entries in
the IEIRD form.
The SAD will also facilitate payment of duties and taxes as
it may be lodged electronically prior to such payment. The
procedure eliminates the additional step in a second payment
of duties and taxes after assessment.
In addition, Riga said the use of the SAD will mean a 100%
increase in the number of entries filed while realizing a
50% cut in cost.
“The use of the SAD should be implemented immediately
as it will facilitate trade and boost the objective of automation,”
she explained.
At least one BOC-accredited value-added service provider has
been vocal about the use of the SAD and the abolition of the
IEIRD form.
InterCommerce Network Service president Francis Lopez said
the continued use of the IEIRD form in customs entries defeats
the purpose of automation since it involves filing two types
of documents.
BOC said it will eventually migrate to SAD after resolution
of some legal issues and the adoption of some changes.
The country’s 52-item SAD is presently being used in
the Philippine-Thailand Single-Window Transaction. The number
of items in the SAD will have to be reduced to the required
number (48) before its usage in the local system, the BOC
said.
Lorenzo Shipping shoots for LCL market, unveils new containership
LORENZO Shipping Corp (LSC) yesterday (Nov.
13) unveiled its new flagship, the containership MV Lorcon
Manila, signaling its expansion into the less than-container
load (LCL) business.
“We are putting emphasis on LCL to increase revenues
and volume as part of our strategy to modernize our fleet
and effect efficiencies in operations,” said LSC officer-in-charge
Roberto Umali, in an interview.
He said the introduction of Lorcon Manila, acquired in June
1 for $8.3 million, will allow the company to accommodate
more high-end LCL cargoes.
The newer and faster vessel will replace Lorcon Mindanao at
the start of next year. She will service the Manila-Cebu-Cagayan
de Oro-Manila route.
Lorcon Mindanao will be put on sale for $2 million.
The company is eyeing the acquisition of two more vessels
in the next two years to replace two 30-year-old vessels.
LSC, 52.6% owned by National Marine Corp., a company in turn
owned by the Magsaysay Group, operates a fleet of seven vessels
with capacities of 197 TEUs to 400 TEUs. Speeds range from
11 knots to 15 knots.
The other vessels are the MV Lorcon Cagayan de Oro, MV Lorcon
Davao, MV Lorcon Visayas, MV Lorcon Cebu, MV Lorcon Luzon,
and MV Lorcon Mindanao.
The LSC network comprises branches in Cebu, Davao, General
Santos, Cotabato, Iloilo, Cagayan and agencies in Zamboanga,
Dumaguete, and Bacolod.
LSC sees better business starting this year propelled by activity
in the international market which it expects to spill over
to the domestic trade. This has prompted the company to invest
in refleeting and acquisition of cargo-handling facility.
LSC is also set to review its service routes for better capacity
allocation.
DHL Express sees air express cargo volume
soaring 30% annually, partly helped along by a newly opened
Subic Service Center.
“Subic and Clark have all the potentials. Subic could
be a perfect seaport and Clark... a perfect airport to support
all our operations,” DHL country manager Lawrence Llamzon
said during last Monday’s formal launch of the service
center, its eighth in the country.
“With our aggressive marketing targets, we expect to
triple the 8-10% annual growth of air express cargo in its
(Subic center’s) first year of operations or roughly
about 30% volume growth annually. (This) will cement the grip
of DHL Philippine operations as one of the growth engines
of DHL in the Asia-Pacific,” Llamzon said.
“North Luzon contributes only about 10% of our total
revenues. With the introduction of the new facility in Subic,
we expect to increase contribution to about a quarter of our
total revenues in the next two to three years,” he added.
The 945-square meter Subic service center is equipped with
cutting-edge handling equipment that includes tracking devices,
package sorting and distribution, access control and surveillance
systems to ensure efficient express delivery solutions.
It also has a separate warehouse to accommodate requirements
of existing and potential clients in the area.
Volumes are expected to come from the area’s manu-facturing
industries, semiconductor companies, importers, exporters
and private individuals with offices in Subic, Clark and Bataan
and other adjacent areas.
DHL has injected about P30 million to develop its Subic and
Clark facilities but expressed readiness to infuse more to
further accommodate larger traffic and compete with other
express firms in the ecozone.
Northern Luzon has been a consistent growth engine for DHL
in the last several years, Llamzon said.
In the future, DHL expects to benefit from the near completion
of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, the construction of
the Northrail system, and the government dream to develop
Subic and Clark as logistics hubs.
DHL is presently taking a beating from a slowdown in semiconductor
and electronics exports — which comprise 75% of the
company’s entire traffic — as a result of the
strong peso and a downturn in the US economy.
DHL estimated that air cargo volumes are down 6% compared
to last year. The company, however, expects more activity
in the runup to Christmas, possibly enough to bring targets
in line for the year, it said.
For 2008, DHL anticipates another challenging year with high
fuel prices and continuing sluggishness in the export sector.
Cebu Pacific to add direct flights from Davao to HK, S'pore
BUDGET airline Cebu Pacific (CEB) is expanding
its operations by making Davao its third hub after Manila
and Cebu starting May next year.
“This third hub is in preparation for a more expansive
inter-island connectivity as we acquire more aircraft. We
are initially dedicating a 150-seater A319 aircraft to operate
from this hub,” said Lance Gokongwei, CEB president
and chief executive officer.
CEB will initially offer direct international services from
Davao to Hong Kong and Singapore and a direct domestic service
to Iloilo, making it the only Philippine airline to operate
such services.
Both direct services from Davao to Singapore and Iloilo will
commence on May 8, 2008 while the service to Hong Kong will
start on May 9, 2008, the company said.
CEB also confirmed it will pursue a fourth operational hub
in Clark as soon as all necessary government approvals to
operate to Bangkok, Macau, Taipei, Hong Kong and Singapore
are granted.
