The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has introduced remote clearance for sea cargo, eliminating the mandatory physical boarding of vessels by customs officers before granting entry and sail-out clearances.
The reform aims to speed up cargo handling, reduce vessel delays, and improve efficiency at Indian ports. Under the new system, clearances will be processed digitally through sea arrival manifest and sea departure manifest filings, while physical boarding will remain a separate statutory procedure when required.