Average delay of containerized cargo at the seaport Big Port St. Petersburg in the fourth quarter of 2013 totaled 4.6 days. This includes 15 hours spent for cargo declaration and clearance procedures, which is 14% of the average transit time of containers through the seaport, the Baltic Customs press office reported.
In the fourth quarter 2013 average delay of reefer containers in the seaport was 3.6 days, of which 11 hours spent for customs procedures, the report said.
Overall transit time of containers via Big Port St. Petersburg in 2013 decreased by an average of 45 hours, while reefer containers delay shrank by 31 hours.
"This is mainly due to the reduction of terms of customs operations performed by Baltic Customs, as well as other routine procedures by other agencies", the customs officials say.
The Baltic Customs has taken joint measures with other control authorities to expedite the procedures in respect of goods arriving in reefer containers to reduce delays of this type of containers. The Baltic Customs will announce the pilot optimization program results in Q1 2014.