Direct Port Entry:

‘Direct Port Entry’ is a flagship scheme of Customs to speed up cargo flows and eases congestion at major ports to double exports. Shippers need not route shipments via off-site container freight stations for verification and to obtain a “let export order,” or LEO, clearance before they are gated-in at port terminals. It will cut down wait times and reduce logistics costs for exporters.

Customs is rolling out more trade-facilitating measures to speed up cargo flows and ease congestion at major ports to double exports and emerge as a formidable player in global trade in five years.

Allowing “direct port entry” for factory-stuffed export containers is one such step, meaning that shippers need not route such shipments via off-site container freight stations for verification and to obtain a “let export order,” or LEO, clearance before they are gated-in at port terminals. It will cut down wait times and reduce logistics costs for exporters.

The change stems from persistent trade complaints that the procedure of wheeling laden containers into a CFS for customs gate-in permits was causing lengthy delays and extra costs for small exporters.