China´s Nuctech will assist the Mozambique Government in improving Customs Security, under a new program launched by the Mozambican Tax Authority (TA).
According to a statement from the AT, the pilot phase of the Electronic Cargo Sealing and Tracking System (SEERC) will start next week on the three main Mozambican transit corridors that connect the ports of Maputo, Beira and Nacala to southern Africa countries.
The permanent screening of sealed cargo (in containers, in bulk or cistern) will be done by a control center in communication with mobile brigades of the Customs Service of Mozambique and other authorities.
At the same time, inspection equipment and means of surveillance at the borders of Ressano Garcia, Namaacha, Goba, Machipanda, Calomue, Zobué, Cassacatiza and Milange were reinforced.
The design, implementation and operationalization of the system was granted by AT to Mozambique Electronic Cargo Tracking Services (MECTS), a company under Mozambican law whose technological partner is the Chinese safety inspection state-owned company Nuctech, according to the Mozambican Government.
In Mozambique, Nuctech supplied almost all non-intrusive customs inspection equipment (‘scanners’), it adds.
According to the company, the electronic sealing system can also be used on the railroad and allows government authorities and operators in the logistics and transport value chain (from banking to shipping agents) to mitigate the risk of smuggling, tax evasion, theft or looting of goods.
According to AT, Mozambique lost in the the last five years tax revenues of around 10% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
