India: DGFT Exempts PSIC for Metal Scrap Imports at Mundra Port

Metallic waste & scrap imported from safe countries/regions i.e US, UK, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and EU will not require PSIC if consignments are cleared through 7 ports including Mundra.

Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) an organization responsible for implementing the foreign trade policy in India under the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry has announced, under Public Notice No. 75/2015-2020 issued by DGFT on 25th February, 2019 that, DGFT has exempted the Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate (PSIC) for metal scrap imports in Mundra Port along with the earlier six ports as Chennai, Tuticorin, Kandla, JNPT, Mumbai and Krishnapatnam.

Public Notice No. 38/ (2015-2020) issued by DGFT on 6th October 2016 states that:-

“Further, an ICD can handle clearance of un-shredded metallic scrap provided the same passes through any of the designated seaports as mentioned above or any new ports to be noted/ designated from time to time, where Radiation Portal Monitors and Container Scanner are in operation and the consignment is subject to risk-based scanning/ monitoring as per the protocol laid down by customs.”

The above statement thus states that if any container in Mundra Port passes through operational Radiation Detection Scanners can be cleared at any ICD without PSIC.

Import through all other ports including nine ports (for unshredded scrap) irrespective of country of origin, will be subject to PSIC. With this, total no. of seaports for metal imports are increased from 14 to 15 in India.

DGFT exempted metallic waste and scrap (shredded and unshredded/ HMS 1&2) coming from five developed countries defined as ‘safe countries/regions’ in the notice USA, UK, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and the EU-28 (Europe), from requiring a pre-shipment inspection certificate (PSIC).

India imported 5.29 MnT ferrous scrap in CY2018, up 16% Y-o-Y. Major exporters were UAE, UK and US. Mundra port accounts for around 4-5% share in India's total ferrous scrap imports.

source: SteelMint