Urgent Appeal to Resolve the Paralysis in Customs Clearance and Port Systems and Its Impact on Traders and Consumers.
For the second time in three months, the Syndicate of Licensed Customs Brokers and the Beirut Traders Association are facing significant difficulties due to the ongoing disruption in the “Najm” customs system and the “CAMA” port system. These two entities have issued an urgent appeal to the Ministries of Finance and Public Works, demanding immediate and effective intervention to overcome the technical obstacles that hinder the movement of goods clearance in public facilities, especially the Port of Beirut.
This functional defect causes direct and indirect financial losses for traders, which negatively affects the prices of final products borne by the consumer. These losses include additional storage fees incurred by traders due to delays in removing containers, forcing them to pay additional fees to shipping companies and ground fees inside the port or private warehouses.
In addition, the paralysis in the two systems leads to delays in the delivery of goods, shortages of stock at companies and shops, and the loss of important sales opportunities, especially in seasons and peak demand periods. It also increases the risk of damage to sensitive goods such as food, medicine, and chemicals, due to the long duration of their stay in containers. All these factors raise operating costs and increase transportation and distribution costs due to the need to adjust logistics plans and use additional services to speed up delivery.
In general, the slowdown in the Port of Beirut doubles the financial burdens on traders, weakens their competitiveness, and directly affects the prices paid by the consumer. An informed source explains that “the disruption in these two systems directly affects the national economy and the market’s ability to meet the needs of the Lebanese consumer, especially in this stage that requires revitalizing local markets and ensuring the availability of goods in all sectors, and facilitating trade and economic movement.” The source points out that “developing and updating the “Najm” and CAMA systems to solve gaps and adopt full automation in the processes of removing goods and paying fees is the optimal solution, and this has not yet been achieved, and its responsibility lies with the Ministries of Finance and Public Works.”
The source adds: “We are waiting for a response to our demands, and we hope that the concerned ministers will address this matter quickly, because it negatively affects the clearance of goods and their availability in the market, especially with the approach of the holiday season, during which traders need time to organize and display their goods. The delay also affects prices, because the longer the goods are delayed in the port, the higher the fees on them, and this negatively affects the consumer who bears these costs.”
The source refuses to specify a figure for the losses resulting from the paralysis, stressing that “the losses are incurred by legitimate traders who adhere to legal procedures, while there are illegal traders who are able to clear their goods in their own ways and without adhering to official procedures.”
source: 961 today
