A tripartite agreement was signed between the Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA), Customs and M/s Smith Detection to transfer the Container Scanner assets to the Customs Department, here on Friday.
VPA Deputy Chairman Durgesh Kumar, Commissioner of Customs, Visakhapatnam, B.A.V. Srinivasa Rao, and MD of M/s Smith Detection Vikrant Subhash Trilokekar signed the agreement.
The Ministry of Shipping has taken the action to implement the initiatives of Ease of Doing Business (EODB), wherein all the major ports have to reduce their dwell time of vessel and cargo operations. Installation of Container Scanner system is one of the major initiatives under EODB to simplify/expedite the clearance process of import container cargo at the major ports.
Indian Ports Association (IPA) is the nodal agency, under the Ministry of Shipping, Ports and Waterways, for procurement of Mobile X-Ray Container Scanners for major ports. VPA has invested ₹29.68 crore in this regard.
The Mobile X-Ray container scanner system is capable of scanning 20 containers per hour at normal scan speed.
The system was commissioned on September 2, 2021 and operated by the Container Scanner Division of Visakhapatnam Customs.
Officials of VPA, Customs and M/s Smith Detection group members were also present.
