New Module Cuts Vanuatu Customs Processing Time to Minutes
October 30, 2024 10:00 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook
By Ezra Toara.
For the first time, airlines arriving and departing from Vanuatu can now submit aircraft notifications online through a new module designed by the Department of Customs and Inland Revenue (DCIR).
This latest development extends the existing ASYCUDA Vessel Notification (ASYVSL) module to cover aircraft, enabling a fully electronic clearance process with no paperwork required.
According to the DCIR, the introduction of the ASYCUDA World system in Vanuatu in 2017 marked a shift toward automating traditionally paper-based processes. Since then, Customs has aimed to digitalise operations to increase efficiency and reduce manual workload. While the previous ASYCUDA version, used since 1999, allowed for basic cargo and clearance management, ASYCUDA World offers a web-based platform with enhanced features that can be tailored to further digitise Customs functions, creating a paperless and real-time data system that supports compliance, risk management, and policy-making.
The ASYVSL module, a collaborative initiative between Customs and the Vanuatu Electronic Single Window (VeSW) Project, initially launched in September 2024 for vessel clearance in Port Vila and the southern ports. The aircraft notification feature went live on October 22, 2024, and has already processed over 224 clearances for more than 152 vessels and aircrafts by October 29.
Traditionally, vessel and aircraft clearance involved agents filling out forms, attaching required documents, and submitting hard copies in person to Customs and other border agencies.
The new system allows shipping and airline agents to submit required forms and documents electronically before a vessel or aircraft’s arrival or departure. Customs can then assess and respond with necessary actions such as approval, boarding instructions, preclearance, or rejection, all in real time. Approved clearance certificates can be downloaded online, eliminating the need for printed documents, reducing costs, and improving efficiency.
The DCIR highlighted that this automation reduces processing time to as low as five minutes from submission to clearance in some cases, creating a secure, 24/7 online system accessible from anywhere.
The ten-month project, which included prototype development and customisations specific to Vanuatu Customs’ needs, was implemented with support from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and involved extensive training for Customs officials and agents.
Following the successful launch in the southern ports and Port Vila, the ASYVSL module went live in Santo on October 29, 2024, extending the clearance system to Vanuatu’s northern regions. With the module now operational across the country, the Single Window Project and UNCTAD technical experts plan to further enhance the module’s features for seamless vessel and aircraft clearance across Vanuatu.
