Inward Cargo Reports
Lodging Inward Cargo Reports (ICRs) forms part of the requirement for giving Advance Notice of Arrival of a craft en route to New Zealand. This legislative requirement came into force in December 2004 as part of the range of new Supply Chain Security measures that were promulgated in 2004.
The purpose of the ICR is to enable the New Zealand Customs Service to identify shipments that may pose a risk to New Zealand in advance of the cargo being landed. For that reason the person in charge of an arriving craft, or the owner or operator of that craft, or an agent, is required to lodge ICRs as part of the Advance Notice of Arrival.
Ships owners or operators and their agents are responsible for lodging ICRs and, in cases where a third-party space sharer has cargo on that vessel, the ship's master, owner or operator must ensure that the required information is provided to Customs either by obtaining the information from the space-sharer or arranging for the space-sharer to provide the information direct.
In cases where operators or agents or space sharers do not comply with the requirement to provide ICRs, Customs has powers to stop, board, search, direct and detain ships pursuant to sections 23, 26, 140 and 143 of the Customs and Excise Act 1996. In this case a Customs direction could be given that no cargo be unloaded from an arriving craft until the requirement to provide ICRs has been met.
As a means of assisting compliance with the legislation, Customs is making changes to the Advance Notice of Arrival form, which will clarify the information that is required to be provided by the owners or operators or their agents in respect of an arriving craft.
The New Zealand Customs service is focussing increased attention on the area of providing ICRs and, as from 03 October 2005, will be more willing to exercise its powers in cases of non-compliance, in order to maintain the safety and security of New Zealand's borders.
If you have any questions about this matter, please contact Customs' National Call Centre, Freephone 0800 4 CUSTOMS (0800-428 786) or email: feedback@customs.govt.nz Further information can also be found in Schedule 2, Part A & B Particulars to be provided in Inward Cargo Reports in the report (ICR Particulars to be Provided Sept 05) below. See also attached Frequently Asked Questions.
