Seychelles Revenue Commission signs agreement with ASYCUDA for port information system

The agreement was signed on Wednesday afternoon. (Seychelles News Agency)

With the aim of making the clearing of cargo faster, the Seychelles Revenue Commission (SRC) has signed an agreement that allows the ASYCUDA (Automated System for Customs Data) system to be integrated with the new Port Victoria Management Information System (PVMIS).  

The agreement was signed on Wednesday afternoon by the commissioner of Customs, Paul Barrack, the chief executive of the Seychelles Ports Authority (SPA), Sony Payet, and the ICT technical adviser for Customs in the Seychelles Revenue Commission, Wassim Al-Khawand. 

In his address at the launch, Payet said, "This event forms part of the 50-year- anniversary of the Mahe Quay. We cannot complete our task with the PVMIS, without having SRC or ASYCUDA on board with us, to make sure that all the information being used in the PVMIS are the correct information."

The PVMIS system is a centralised information system where all the forms needed at the departure for boats and ships to conduct their business can be filled out earlier and in real time.

The system has incorporated several systems, such as accounts, procurement, accounting, and web-based solutions designed for real-time planning and management of port operations.

The ASYCUDA is a computerised customs management system that covers most foreign trade procedures that handle manifests and customs declarations, along with accounting, transit and suspense procedures.

For SRC, this will mean that the clearing of goods entering the port can be done at a much faster rate and will benefit all clients.

"This will give us the opportunity to exchange information and to better manage the clearance of goods, where it will in fact make the process a lot faster and therefore facilitate trade," said Barrack.

He added that this will also increase the SRC's level of service delivery, putting it on par with other countries in the region and beyond.

"Information on all consignments arriving in Seychelles will be available to us earlier than before, where this will make it faster to acquit bill of entries and to monitor the movement of goods at the port," added Barrack.

The PMVIS was launched last Friday by the President of Seychelles, Wavel Ramkalawan, and the Minister for Transport, Antony Derjacques, as part of the 50-year celebrations.

The system is expected to be fully operational as of January 1, 2024.