Transit Customs Regime Diagnosis and Recommendations ... - MCLI

Draft Report for SSATP –MCLI Mozambique Transit Regime Project
Customs Transit Regime. The freight forwarding community in Mozambique is less
advanced than that of South Africa, and the constraints of transiting an international
border, with the still comparatively low volumes and the imbalance in trade, are
obstacles for the development of traffic along the corridor and for economic growth in
Mozambique. The current Customs legislation for transit, and its implementation by the
freight forwarding community in Mozambique, presents several constraints which need
to be identified and addressed through adjustments of the legislations on one hand, and
dissemination of training material on the other hand.
Furthermore, transit imports through the port of Maputo for the SA hinterland have to
compete with direct imports through South African ports where there are no transit
regimes, and fewer costs and complexities. Another area of lost opportunity for
Mozambique is encapsulated in the present complexities of the transhipment legislation,
policies, processes and procedures in Mozambique through the port of Maputo, which
drives importers in Beira and Nacala and their transit flows to neighbouring countries to
rather have their freight transhipped in South African ports instead of utilising the port of
Maputo. It is estimated that every additional vessel calling a Mozambican port adds
around US$ 250K revenue to the Mozambican economy which ultimately contributes to
job creation and poverty alleviation. 7
The review and recommendations for changes to the transit regime, will, once
implemented, have a significant impact on the competitiveness of the Maputo corridor,
and will have positive spill over effects for the other transit corridors of Mozambique,
specifically through the ports of Nacala and Beira.
In understanding the importance of collaboration between MCLI, the stakeholders and
the customs department of the Mozambican Revenue Authority, the project was
launched at a meeting on the 8 th of September 2011 which was chaired by the Director
General of Alfandegas, Dr. Domingo Tivane, and attended by MCLI representatives,
senior representatives of the Policy and Procedures department, the Single Electronic
Window project and the director for the Southern Region where the project objectives
7 MPDC Presentation at MCLI workshop February 2010
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