CBIC extends deadline for declaring sensitive items in marine cargo
By issuing Notification No. 40/2025-Customs (N.T.) on May 31, 2025, the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) announced an extension of the deadline for filing declarations of sensitive items under the Sea Cargo Manifest and Transshipment Regulations, 2018.
The deadline has been rescheduled for September 30, 2025. In particular, it alters the timetable listed in the table that follows Form XII of the 2018 regulations under Serial No. 6, Column (3). “Sea Cargo Manifest and Transshipment (Third Amendment) Regulations, 2025” is the official name of the amendment that was introduced through the notification.
Clause 1 of the notification itself specifically mentions this title. CBIC is making this move as part of its continuous efforts to make compliance easier for those involved in marine cargo operations, especially when it comes to the transshipment of sensitive commodities. It is anticipated that the delay will provide shipping lines, port operators, and customs brokers more time to make sure their systems and processes comply with the regulations.
The Declaration for Transshipment of Cargo, Form XII, is a required form that carriers or agents use to give customs important information about cargo being moved from one Indian port to another.
Usually, it consists of: Details on the origin and destination of the shipment Details of the ship and the journey Seal integrity and container numbers Disclosure of regulated or sensitive items. Transparency, legal conformity, and the safe passage of commodities through Indian ports are all guaranteed by this form. Cargo transit between Indian ports and the filing of arrival and departure manifests are governed by the Sea Cargo Manifest and Transshipment Regulations, which were first announced in May 2018. In order to expedite customs operations and respond to industry criticism, the regulations have undergone periodic amendments.
