Starting with Basra's Umm Qasr Port
Iraq customs authority implements automation to expedite container processing
BASRA – The General Customs Authority announced today that it successfully processed about 10,000 containers using the Automated System for Customs Data – or ASYCUDA – at the Grand Welcoming Yard in Umm Qasr Port. The authority says it is committed to automating all national ports of entry, signaling a significant shift in how Iraq manages its customs processes.
In a statement to 964media, the authority said it completed transactions for nearly 10,000 containers at the Grand Welcoming Yard in Umm Qasr Port, Basra governorate, using ASYCUDA. “From March 15 to 21, importers processed and cleared a total of 9,545 containers using the ASYCUDA system,” which went live on March 3, 2024.
Transaction details from March 15-21 show an increasing trend in container processing, beginning with 1,290 containers on Friday, March 15, and peaking at 2,224 containers by Thursday, March 21. Daily figures included 1,426 containers on Saturday, March 16; 1,124 on Sunday, March 17; 1,335 on Monday, March 18; 1,000 on Tuesday, March 19; and 1,146 on Wednesday, March 20.
The authority is urging importers and customs clearance agents to participate in its training courses on the ASYCUDA system, which is expected to “significantly ease and speed up the clearance of goods, offering remarkable time, effort, and cost savings over traditional paper-based methods.”
ASYCUDA, developed by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, is a computerized customs management system that covers most foreign trade procedures. The system handles manifests and customs declarations, accounting procedures, and transit and suspense procedures. ASYCUDA aims to streamline trade processes by reducing long lines at border crossings and cutting wait times for goods clearance, thereby enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of customs administrations.
The statement highlighted the authority’s ongoing efforts “to implement the system across all customs centers, ensuring that all goods entering Iraq will soon be processed through ASYCUDA.” This strategic move is expected “to significantly boost revenues collected, substantially benefiting the state’s general treasury.”