New Zealand’s Customs Service and Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) have launched the Joint Border Management System (JBMS) which will modernise the two agencies’ border systems, allowing them to share processes, data and technology.
It will enable swifter processing of goods passing in out and of New Zealand. Minister for Primary Industries, Nathan Guy adds, “The Joint Border Management System will also improve border security by strengthening reporting and cargo reconciliation requirements”.
The NZD 89 million (USD 70.9 million) project is being rolled out in phases so that each stage can be thoroughly tested before delivery. It is expected to bring in benefits worth NZD 450 million (USD 358.7 million) over the next 10 years.
The first phase of JBMS, Trade Single Window (TSW), now allows importers, exporters, and their agents and brokers to submit shipment details and receive responses electronically through a single channel, rather than dealing separately with several government agencies.
“This reduces the duplication of data to border agencies and will speed up processing times. Savings will be made by connecting directly to JBMS and doing away with third party transmission charges”, the Minister said.
Various pilot partners, responsible for about 60 per cent of all export and import transactions in New Zealand, have been involved in testing JBMS. Mondiale Freight, a major New Zealand freight forwarder, experienced an average processing time 8 minutes faster than under the previous system.
Customs Minister, Maurice Williamson highlighted, “Mondiale Freight has already sent and received more than 20,000 entries via the JBMS Trade Single Window. It has experienced the benefits of faster response times and savings on electronic data transmission costs”.
Other elements of the JBMS include a range of risk and intelligence tools, including for food imports. The existing Customs and MPI border systems will be kept running to allow for the cargo industry to choose when to transfer to the JBMS until December 2014, after which the new system becomes mandatory.
