Obstacles in Panama Customs Offices

Logistics companies and customs agents have reported inconsistencies in the application of standards and inefficiency and slowness in the computer systems that are used to carry out the processes.

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Although the country is the main logistics hub in the region, employers and brokers have pointed out the presence of obstacles, such as poor management of the SIGA computer system, affecting services and preventing an improvement in the competitiveness of Panamanian trade abroad.

Severo Souza, president of the Logistics Business Council (Coel) told Martesfinanciero.com that "... 'At some point or another everyone gets held up when they have to deal with customs. "

Regarding the malfunction of the integrated computer border management system (SIGA), the broker Venancio Serrano says, "... it does not allow for a loading bill (customer documentation) of goods from China going to the Colon Free Zone (ZLC) to be registered directly there. 'The moment that this document moves the port to the CFZ, it gets lost and Customs also automatically loses control of the container'. "

According to Daniel Isaza, CEO of Interoceanic Cargo Carrier, "... Over 50% of the problem is not the software but the rules governing the operation of the customs office. "

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