+265 1 117 10 505 vchirwa67@gmail.com

Services

Approach and Methodology

Detailed outline of our customs clearing process

The customs clearing process requires that the clearing agent be familiar with the rules and procedures in the entire chain from point of origin to final delivery at destination (client).

Stage 1: Point of origin

Key Tasks at this stage include;

  • Get the bill of lading, invoice, relevant certificates and packing list
  • Liaison with shipping line/shipper to confirm container or consol booking as per Bill of Lading/manifest
  • Monitoring the shipment for adherence to schedule

Major challenges;

  • Borders closing at 6 pm means that those truckers arriving between 5:30 pm and 6 am do not proceed on expected dates which may lead to schedule slip-ups and conflict with the client deliveries.
  • Increase in cost of communication with drivers
  • Language barriers with foreign drivers

Stage 2: Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA)

Key Tasks at this stage include;

Preparation of customs entries

  • Lodging of documents into customs

Major challenges;

  • Often customs officers delay to process documents
  • The Asycuda system is often out of service/network outages causes delays
  • Shortage of staff to do physical examination of goods

3.Operations management strategy

Our firm employs nearly 20 people at any one time. The majority of these staff are customs clearing clerks. We have 6 customs clearing clerks at the head office in Lilongwe, 2 each in Blantyre and Mzuzu and one each in five points of entry/exit (Dedza, Chileka, KIA,Mchinji, Mwanza and Songwe.)

Figure 2 is the current Organogram of our firm. It shows the main decision making bodies and their staff

At any given time and any assignment given, these staff will be allocated based on their own schedules  and dedicated to specific tasks that must be performed to the satisfaction of the delegating authority, including, ultimately, the Managing Director. Adequate supervision will be provided to all core staff in the clearing  and delivery of the consignments.

4. Safety and security strategy

Our firm believes occupational safety of its staff is of utmost importance. This is particularly correct for our warehouse staff who are involved in lifting of loose cargo that may sometimes be hazardous to their lives.

We always provide appropriate protective equipment and or clothing. We also believe that the safety and security of our client’s cargo is the purpose of our existence and therefore the lifeline of our business. We employ strict logistics management systems for access to our clients’ cargo and documents.

5.Financial strategy

The local customs clearing and forwarding companies have formed an association (to which we are a member) called Indigenous Customs Clearing And Freight Forwarding Association (ICCAFA) which regulates the industry through among other things providing standard rates that must be used which are negotiable based on individual company.

6.Quality Assurance

Our quality assurance process involves careful selection and re-orientation of staff to work on an assignment. Our Managing Director is the overall officer in-charge. He  has the following major roles and responsibilities;

  • Day to day management of any assignment that is given to us
  • Providing overall leadership in the management of  contracts
  • Ensure the adequate and appropriate deployment of resources (staff and equipment) to any job that comes to us
  • Responsible for liaising with client
  • Answering to any queries that may arise in the contract
  • Management of conflicts

7. Our Capacity

Cargoline Services is a well-established customs clearing and freight forwarding firm established in 2000 and registered under the Companies Act: Registration Number 51020.  Over the last twenty years, Cargoline Services has successfully undertaken several customs clearing and Freight Forwarding projects both for Government and private sector firms. We have warehouses at Kamuzu International Airport (KIA), Kanengo industrial area in Lilongwe and Makata in Blantyre.

We further have provision for shipments arriving through Mwanza,Mchinji, Dedza  and Songwe to proceed on truck to inland customs designated places.  Since 2007, Customs Clearance is effected inland either in Mzuzu, Lilongwe or Blantyre.  In this arrangement, the MRA has designated these three cities as their ports such that no agent operates Warehouses under customs control in Mwanza, Dedza, Mchinji and Songwe.  Thus, we only have following bonded warehouses with the capacities by city:

  • KIA                 250m2
  • Kanengo          680m2
  • Blantyre          320m2

We also have Transit Bond facilities at any border into Malawi amounting to MK120,000,000.00

Our Offices

Our offices are situated at off area 25 road, behind SEEDCO factory in Kanengo, Lilongwe.

P.O. Box 471

Kanengo, Lilongwe 4

Tel:+265 1 117 10 505

Cel:+265 9 999 51 442 

We have adequate equipment and personnel to carry out any customs clearing assignment of any size or volume.

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