Lyudmila Dymchenko: congestion at customs stations is a problem to share

Smooth operation of border checkpoints is one of the criteria of the customs efficiency. Lyudmila Dymchenko, head of the department on arrangement of checkpoints under Customs Control Service of the North-West Customs (NWC) tells the PortNews reporter about the work aimed at optimization of export and import goods transit across the border.

- Lyudmila Viktorovna, how many operating checkpoints are there in the North West? What is their state?

- The North West Federal District includes the sectors of state border with Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Norway, Lithuania, Poland and Byelorussia. At the borders with all these countries, excluding Byelorussia, as well as at airports, sea and river ports we operate 101 border checkpoints. Our Board of the Customs comprises 22 customs including 15 border customs and 2 operative customs. They integrate 131 customs stations located at the territory under NWC authority. Besides we have 23 multi-way vehicle checkpoints (MWVC), however only 20 of them are operating today.

All these MWVC were built early in 1990-ies so they obviously need to be reconstructed first of all because of fast growth in international transportation. Thus, today we need expansion of checkpoints, construction of additional traffic control paths, parking and storage areas as well as introduction of new workplaces. Besides, it is necessary to equip the checkpoints with modern technical control facilities including inspection-and-check complexes (ICC).

In some cases expansion of the checkpoint is impossible. For example, Ivangorod checkpoint is surrounded with a boundary river, residential quarters and medieval fortress.  So it is necessary to build new MWVC at a different place and, consequently, a new bridge across the Narva-river. We have already signed intergovernmental agreement with Estonia aimed at implementation of this idea.

- Is there a program on opening new checkpoints?

- Introduction and opening of new border checkpoints is regulated in Russian Federation by a Provision on national border checkpoints. This procedure was approved by the decree of Russian Government dated January 19, 1998. Besides, construction, reconstruction and equipment of border checkpoints is part of the federal special-purpose program «National Border of the Russian Federation (2003-2010)».

It is important that a number of new vehicle checkpoints were finalized in the North-West region within several last years. In particular, Russia-Finland border has now Svetogorsk MWVC (Leningrad region) and Sala MWVC (Murmansk region). Not so long ago Suopreya checkpoint was opened in Karelia republic. Bagrationovsk checkpoint was put into operation at Russia-Poland border.

Besides, partial reconstruction of a two-way vehicle checkpoint (TWVC) was carried out in Borisoglebsk at Russia-Norway border in Murmansk region. In the nearest future it is planned to finalize construction of Chernyshevskoye MWVC (Russia-Lithuania border). Construction of Mamontovo-2 MWVC has been started in Kalinigrad region.

- Which checkpoint and which borders are the most loaded ones?

- The most loaded checkpoints are Torfyanovka and Brusnichnoye MWVC. Both of them are at Russia-Finland border. The most intense checkpoint of Russia-Estonia border is Ivangorod, Russia-Latvia – Burachki.

One of the most significant problems at MWVC is congestion of vehicles. Major factor resulting in congestions is difference between trough-flow rate of MWVC and real amount of vehicles. Besides, volume of international transportation has considerably increased through last years. Currently, about 5 thou of trucks and over 16 thou of passenger cars cross the border at two-way checkpoints every day. The amount of natural persons is over 60 thousand. 2.5 thou trucks and 4 thou passenger cars fall on Vyborg direction.

Of course, customs authorities take measures aimed at increase of trough-flow rate of vehicle checkpoints. For example, they install new technical control facilities and put inspection-and-check complexes into operation. The structure and number of personnel at border checkpoints is being optimized. They also try to raise public awareness of carriers.

However, these measures are not sufficient for solving the problem of congestion. It is necessary to reconstruct vehicle checkpoints so that each MWCV had a reserve of technical capacity for the increase of trough-flow for at least 8-10 years.  This work needs large investments since modern MWVC is an expensive thing. For example, construction of Suopreya MWVC with trough-flow rate of just 150 vehicles per day amounted to about 268.5 million rubles. 

Traffic capacity of highways is also very significant for checkpoints. Not all our highways meet the requirements of international transportation. In particular, Vyborg-Svetogorsk highway is characterized by high risk of accidents during autumn rains and winter sleet. So some carriers prefer to go not through Svetogorsk but through other MWVC, thus increasing their load, which results in congestion. Besides, the highways adjacent to MWVC should have special areas for vehicles accumulation as well as parking and service zones.

- How can the International Motor Carriers Association (IMCA) help in regulation of traffic flows?

- As a rule the carriers choose the shortest routs, but when the same decision is taken by the majority of vehicle owners, the congestion is the result. Increased congestion at the borders registered from August 2006 is mainly explained by the change of routs introduced by part of international motor carriers. It resulted in congestion at certain MWVC while checkpoints located far from these routs are not loaded to that extent. 

When solving these problems we should consider real situation that is trough-flow capacity of MWVC. I think IMCA should play a certain role here. It should take organizational measure for more equal distribution of vehicles between different MWVC. It could considerably decrease the intensity of the congestion problem.  Currently, the position of IMCA is the following: congestion is the problem of customs authorities. This approach is a strange one since it is a general problem, which is to be shared.

The operation of the checkpoints is also influenced by non-fulfillment of norms like TIR Convention and other documents by carriers. Non-fulfillment of the requirements or filing of documents filled with violations increase considerably the time needed for vehicle and goods clearance. Permanent violations show that IMCA’s role in improvement of its members’ operation is not played in full.

- Does the Conception of Customs Development in Russia cover the container cargo control?

- At the end of the previous year, in December, Russian Government approved the Conception of Customs Development in Russia. The Conception implies control of container cargo with application of ICC. As  rule, ICC are installed at sea, road, air and railway checkpoint of major transport lines with intense flow of goods. Today four ICC are under construction in the North-West Federal District. In particular we plan to install ICC at the most loaded border checkpoints: Burachki MWVC of Sebezh Customs, Brusnichnoye MWVC and Torfyanovka MWVC of Vyborg Customs as well as Ubylinka checkpoint of Pskov Customs. We also plan to introduce more ICC later. Three similar complexes are to appear in the port of Saint Petersburg. This system provides the possibility of X-raying containers without opening and unloading within 3-5 minutes.

- What are NWC’s half-year results?

- In the first half of 2006 North-West Customs transferred over 287 million rubles to the federal budget. Its almost twice as much as in 2005. Besides, our performance benchmark of customs payments has been enlarged by 105%. General transfer of all Russian customs to the national budget is over 10.8 billion rubles. The share of NWC is over 20%. The leaders here are Vyborg, Baltic and Saint Petersburg Customs. Their share is 233.5 billion rubles (85%) of all payments maid by NWC to the federal budget.

As regards foreign trade turnover of the NWFD in the first half-year, it amounted to almost $40 billion. It is 36%  higher as compared with the similar period of the previous year. Export grew through six months by 37% to $28 billion. It is mostly the products of fuel-and-energy complex, ferrous and non-ferrous metals. Leading directions here are Netherlands, Finland, Germany and Switzerland.

Import grew in 2006 by 34% (that is almost 1 million tons of cargo) to 8.650 million tons. In money equivalent it is $12 billion. Import mostly included foodstuffs and machine-building products. Leading directions here are Germany, China, USA and Finland.

Growth of import and export volume does not mean exclusively increase of goods supply. It also means that foreign trade participants transfer at last from shadow, or “gray”, business to authentic declaration. It is mostly related to household appliances, electronics, other solvent goods. However, not all issues have been solved here.

- What do you think about 2006-year results?

- Amount of motor transport crossing the border has considerably grew this year. Sea and railway transportation has also increased. And this tendency is considered to be a stable one. Number of transit commercial consignments registered by border customs of NWC grew by 20% to 455 thousand. Number of transit cargo delivered to the customs of NWC grew by 12% to 252 thousand. Customs control management system operates at the customs of NWC. It is based on the system of risk management, e-declaration, advance information, minimization of customs formalities when crossing the border, as well as application of customs control forms when issued. One of the most significant indicators demonstrating efficiency of customs activities is the fact that control of 97% of cargo customs declarations takes less then one working day regardless permanent growth of is cargo consignments to be cleared.

- What does the new goods control system implies?

-We really work out our new goods control system today. The system's new principle is based on advance information. We plan to leave only two services at the control line of the checkpoint: the border service and the customs service. That means that only one stop will be needed to pass the checkpoint. Besides, today we introduce e-declaration of the goods within the limits of the country. The system implies the possibility to use electronic digital signature excluding personal contact of foreign trade members with customs officers.

However, to put this system into operation, it is necessary to create unified database available for all regulatory authorities engaged in state control of persons, cargo and vehicles crossing national border of the Russian Federation.

- Does the system of advance information work in the port of Saint Petersburg?

- The system of integrated advance information successfully works in the Seaport of Saint Petersburg and at Baltic Customs. The customs officers have access to a database of a number of companies engaged in foreign trade activities. It enables us to get advance information about goods, which are to be delivered to the port by vessels.

It is important to note that amount of consignments cleared by NWC with application of advance information technology grew by 3.5 times as compared with the previous year. E-declaration takes just several minutes. It excludes personal contact of foreign trade members with customs officers, thus preventing corruption links. The system of e-declaration has been adopted at 21 checkpoints of the NWC already.