Step by step: How to Import Goods through Port of Mogadishu
Learn how to import goods to Somalia from other countries through the Port of Mogadishu. Most of these steps are applicable to every import consignment.
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Step 1
Shipping Line Company
- Upon import cargo arriving at the Port of Mogadishu, it is offloaded from the shipping vessel. The containers are stored at the container yard while general cargo is stored at the warehouses.
- The importer visits the shipping line company to acquire import documents.
- Shipping line company prepares cargo documents and issues trader with invoice.
- If the importer makes all the payments, the shipping line company issues them with the Delivery Order (DO) and Bill of Lading (BoL) to initiate the import cargo clearance process as well as to Pay for Terminal Handling Charges (THC).
- If there are pending payments the trader is advised to complete the payments.
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Step 2
Albayrak Assessment Office
- The importer submits the DO and BoL to the Port Operator’s assessment office for determination of cargo storage fee and issuance of an invoice.
- Albayrak assessment office determines the cargo storage charges.
- If the cargo has stayed in the port for 14 days then no storage fee is charged
- If cargo has stayed in the port for >14 days, then each day is charged $16 per day per container.
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Step 3
Ministry of Finance (MoF) approved Commercial Banks
- The importer visits one of the five Ministry of Finance (MoF) approved commercial banks to pay for the storage charge invoice. This is paid into the Port Operator’s account.
- Importer obtains the payment/deposit slips from the commercial bank
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Step 4
Albayrak Finance Office
- The importer visits one of the five Ministry of Finance (MoF) approved commercial banks to pay for the storage charge invoice. This is paid into the Port Operator’s account.
- Verification of the deposits slips is done to determine if all payments have been done.
- If all the payments have been verified and confirmed as paid then the invoice is signed and stamped and handed back to the importer.
- If there are pending payments then the importer is given another invoice and proceeds to make payment in a commercial bank.
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Step 5
Albayrak Transport Office
- Importer submits the stamped & signed invoice and DO to the Port Operator’ transport office for hiring of a transport vehicle.
- Transport office liaises with hired transport company and books a vehicle which will be used to transport the cargo from the port to the warehouse.
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Step 6
Albayrak Transport Office
- The importer visits the customs assessment office and submits the original BoL and D/O.
- Customs assessment office assigns a customs officer to each importer who accompanies them to the container yard or warehouse to; a) Verifies the import cargo based on bill of lading; b) Calculate the import cargo custom tax payable and; c) Prepare a commercial invoice detailing the custom tax payable for the import cargo.
- The importer takes the commercial invoice to the customs assessment office to obtain permission to proceed to the bank and pay for the commercial invoice.
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Step 7
Commercial Bank
- Importer visits a bank and makes payment into the MoF account.
- Importer obtains the payment/deposit slips from the commercial bank.
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Step 8
Somalia Central Bank
- The importer presents the bank deposit slip for the payment of Customs invoice to Somalia Central Bank (SCB).
- SCB confirm that all payments have been made and have hit the MoF account.
- If the payments are verified and all payments have been done then SCB issue the importer with a SCB payment slip to be submitted to customs treasury office by importer.
- If there are pending payments then the importer is given another invoice and proceed to make payment in a commercial bank.
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Step 9
Customs Treasury Office
- Importer submits SCB payment slip to the customs treasury office.
- Customs treasury office doubles checks the custom tax paid against import cargo.
- If all payments have been made then the importer is issued with a duly signed and stamped import entry form and a payment certification letter.
- If there are pending bills then the trader is advised to make pending payments
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Step 10
Albayrak Gate Pass Office
- Importer submits the following documents to the gate pass office managed by the port operator in order to obtain a gate pass; i. Signed and stamped import entry form; ii. Payment certification letter; iii. Signed and stamped invoice; iv. Bank deposit/payment slip.
- The accuracy of the documents submitted is verified by the gate pass office.
- If the submitted documents are accurate then importer is issued with a gate pass.
- If the submitted documents are not accurate then trader is advised to make corrections.
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Step 11
Customs Police
- The importer submits the gate pass to the custom police to verify the accuracy of custom tax paid against the import cargo.
- If the documents are found to be accurate then customs police sign and stamp the gate pass.
- If the submitted documents are accurate then importer is issued with a gate pass.
- If the documents submitted are inaccurate then trader is sent back to customs
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Step 12
Albayrak’s Transport Office
- The albayrak’s transport office orders the transport vehicle company to send the hired vehicle to pick up the import cargo from the container yard or general cargo warehouses and transport it to the importer’s storage facility.
- The driver of the hired transport delivers the cargo to the storage facility of the importer
- Upon delivery, the driver of the hired transport company returns the container to the port container yard.
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Step 13
Port Operator
- Once the container is safely returned to the port, the port operator issues a gate-in receipt to the transport company driver.
- The driver of the hired company delivers it to the importer for claiming the insurance fee.
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Step 14
Shipping Line Company
- Upon acquiring the gate-in receipt, the importer claims for a refund of the cargo insurance fee ($3000) from the shipping line company.
