Procedural Formalities : The Shipping Bill and the other documents are submitted to the Custom House as soon as the Rotation No. has been given to the carrier. As soon as the documents are filed in the Custom House, the Receiving Clerk will stamp the Shipping Bills with date and time and number them according to their category. The Shipping Bills involving foreign exchange will be sent to the Appraisement Section where they are allotted to Appraisers and Examiners for scrutiny and giving examination order. While the Appraisers will examine the Dutiable and Drawback Shipping Bills, Free Shipping Bill will be examined by the Examiners.

The verification of the Shipping's Bills will be carried out with reference to value and quantity of goods, export licence/quota/permit, compliance with other statutory requirements, rate and amount of export duty, etc.

After verification of Shipping Bill, the Customs Appraiser /Examiner will give an "examination order" on the Duplicate Shipping Bill. This "order" will enable the customs officer to carry out physical examination of goods in the docks. The "examination order" will also be counter-endorsed by the Principal Appraiser.

After completion of formalities at the Appraisement Section, the documents are given to the GR Form Clerk who puts the Shipping Bill No. on the GR Form 2nd detaches the original to be sent to the 'RBI. Further, where export duty is to be paid, the documents are given to the exporter /agent to pay it at the Cash and Accounts Department. After payment of duty, Shipping Bill (Original) is detached and other documents are given to the exporter/agent. In other cases, Shipping Bill (Original) is retained at the Customs House and other documents given to the exporter/agent for bringing the goods to the shipment shed and make shipment arrangement.

The second stage of customs formalities is to carry out physical examination of goods in the shed. The goods can be brought into the shed only after completing port formalities. Once the goods have been brought in, the exploiter/agent will present the shipping bill to the Custom Shed Appraiser/Examiner along with the Shed Appraiser/Examiner along with the following documents.

i) Invoice,

ii) Packing list,

iii) AR4lAR5 forms,

iv) Agmark certificate (wherever applicable).

The Shed appraiser1Exarniner would carry out physical examination according to the "examination order" given on Shipping Bill (Duplicate). Once this activity is over, the Examiner will give. "Let Export: order on the Shipping Bill (Duplicate) welcome constitutes the physical examination report.

After the physical examination report, the Customs Preventive Officer at the docks gives permission for shipment on the Shipping Bill (Duplicate) in the form of "Let Ship" order. This copy is then presented to the master of the carrier, who then in consultation with the concerned Customs Preventive Officer, commences loading operation.

The master of the carrier, after receiving consignments on board, issues "Mate's Receipt", which is obtained by the exporter or his agent through the Shed Superintendent after paying port dues. The mate's Receipt provides the basis for certification of the "fact of shipment" on those documents where it is needed for claim of export incentives. These documents are AR4lAR5 from, Export Promotion Copy of Shipping Rill, GR (Duplicated) and Commercial Invoice.