Import Clearance · Bill of Entry · Nhava Sheva (JNPT) · Mumbai Port
Your Bill of Entry is filed
before the vessel berths.
Free time at JNPT usually starts when the container is discharged at the port, not when your paperwork is ready. Our in-house CHA desk in Chembur pre-checks documents, computes duty and files against the vessel — then our own trailer usually collects the box the same day it is released.
What an import costs you when it waits
Shipping lines charge demurrage and detention on their containers once free time runs out. Terminals and CFS charge storage (ground rent) for the days your cargo sits in the yard. The clocks run separately. Free time usually starts when the container is discharged at the port, and the charges begin once it runs out — not from the day you found a trucker. A week past free time adds up to a cost that no rate negotiation gets back.
The four things that keep the clock at zero
- 01 · Documents checked before arrival
- 02 · Bill of Entry filed against the vessel
- 03 · Duty funded in advance
- 04 · Our own trailer at the gate on release
Most importers get the first three from customs clearance agents and then lose the days back on the fourth, waiting for a truck that belongs to somebody else. We run all four, because the trailer is ours.
How your import clears
Before arrival
Documents perfected first
Send the commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading as soon as your supplier issues them. We check classification and valuation, flag a missing licence or certificate of origin while there is still time to get it, and compute the duty so you can fund it before the container lands.
- You sendInvoice · packing list · B/L
- We returnDuty estimate & document gaps
On arrival
Bill of Entry filed and assessed
The Bill of Entry is filed against the vessel by our own licensed customs broker (CHA) desk, duty is paid, and the consignment is either cleared on the spot or taken through examination. If customs raise a query, the person answering it is the person who filed it — not a sub-agent who has to call us first.
- Filed byOur own desk, Chembur
- CoversDuty · examination · release
On release
Usually collected the same day after release
A trailer from our own 150+ fleet is booked against your release date, not requested on it. The container leaves the port gate and reaches your factory without a second contract or a second invoice.
- Fleet150+ owned trailers
- DeliveryAnywhere in India
Gateways
Where we clear imports
Nhava Sheva (JNPT) and Mumbai Port are the home gateways, with the Mumbai air cargo complex for airfreight and clearance at Mundra and Chennai handled by the same desk.
Documents we need from you
Three documents start the file. The rest depend on what you are importing, and we will tell you which apply before the goods ship rather than after they land.
Always
- Commercial invoice
- Packing list
- Bill of lading or airway bill
- IEC & GST registration
Depending on the goods
- Import licence
- Certificate of origin (preferential duty)
- BIS or test certificate
- MSDS for hazardous cargo
- Drug licence / NOC where applicable
Importing raw material for a plant
Most of our import work is inbound raw material for pharmaceutical, specialty chemical and petrochemical manufacturers — the consignments where a line stops if the container is late. Hazardous classification, MSDS handling, drug licences and temperature-sensitive cargo are routine here, not exceptions. Clients on these files include GlaxoSmithKline, Hetero Labs, Atul Ltd, Meghmani, Gulf Oil and Reliance Industries.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Short, direct answers to what clients ask us most. Still unsure? Ask us directly.
How do I get import customs clearance at JNPT?
Send us the commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading. Our desk pre-checks them, computes the duty and files the Bill of Entry before the vessel berths at Nhava Sheva (JNPT), so the container is not waiting on paperwork when it lands.
What documents are needed to file a Bill of Entry?
The commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading or airway bill are enough to start. Depending on the goods you may also need an import licence, a certificate of origin for a preferential duty rate, and test or BIS certificates for regulated products.
How long does import clearance take at Nhava Sheva?
With complete documents, import clearance at Nhava Sheva usually takes 2–3 working days, as per planning. It can vary if customs selects the cargo for examination, documents need correction, or the port/CFS is congested — which is why our desk pre-checks paperwork before arrival.
How do I avoid demurrage and detention at JNPT?
Free time usually starts when the container is discharged at the port, not when your paperwork is ready. Four things keep the clock at zero: documents perfected before arrival, the Bill of Entry filed against the vessel, duty funded in advance, and a truck at the gate on the day of release. We run all four.
Can you clear an import and deliver it to my factory?
Yes. That is the point of the arrangement. The desk that files your Bill of Entry books the trailer from our own 150+ fleet, so the container usually leaves the port gate the same day it clears and reaches your factory without changing hands.
Do you handle first-time importers?
Yes. You need an IEC from DGFT and a GST registration before importing; after that we can run the file end to end. Send the supplier invoice and we will tell you what duty to expect and what documents the goods will need before you commit to the order.