Dubai Customs took part in the Dubai Forum for Governments Best Practices for 2014, where it presented its ‘Advanced Container Scanning System.’

The forum was organised by The Dubai Government Excellence Programme and featured 32 lecturers and experts specialised in the fields of institutional learning, excellence and creativity, said a statement.

The advanced technological experience that Dubai Customs presented has enabled it to win the titled of the ‘Electronically Distinguished Government Entity’ in the 17th edition of DGEP 2013-14.

Its ‘Advanced Container Scanning System’ won the ‘Distinguished Technological/Technical Project Award.’

Juma Al Ghaith, executive director of Customs Development Division, said: “Winning the title of the Electronically Distinguished Government Entity and the Distinguished Technological/Technical Project Award in the 17th edition of Dubai Government Excellence Program 2013-2014 reflects the progress achieved by Dubai Customs in applying an integrated system for customs development through smart applications.

“The presentation submitted by Dubai Customs to the forum about the achievement represented in winning the title of the Electronically Distinguished Government Entity, included a summarised explanation of the information technology development initiatives successfully applied by Dubai Customs through adopting an excellent way for customs development based on the international best practices in this field through which it achieved its objectives represented in facilitating trade, promoting security, ensuring commitment and integrating the commercial supply chain.”

Dubai Customs’ technological achievements include automating its external services at a percentage of 100 per cent and its internal services at a percentage of 97 per cent; saving more than Dh167 million ($45.4 million) due to the application of several information technology initiatives; saving more than Dh9 million as to information technology operational costs; and detecting seized items whose value exceeds Dh450 million. This greatly contributes in maintaining the national economy and community.    

“Dubai Customs relied on a comprehensive strategy for developing its technological projects based on the latest standards, internationally-accredited work systems ‘Cobit 5’ and the best practices applied in the information system and technology management, including ISO20000 and ISO27001,” said Al Ghaith.

“In addition, Dubai Customs’ strategy also included the application of best practices in the field of technological systems development and projects management, including CMMI and PMBOK, through adopting a methodology complying with DGEP standards for the category of the Electronically Distinguished Government Entity. So, Dubai Customs became the first GCC government entity to be evaluated as per the international standard issued by Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA),” he clarified.

Abdullah Mohammed Al Khaja, executive director of Customer Management Division, said: “The Advanced Container Scanning System, presented by Dubai Customs to Dubai Forum for Government's Best Practices 2014, is the first international comprehensive and innovated system integrating several technological techniques in an integral technological system using the state-of-the-art scanning devices.

“It is the latest international integral system for scanning and inspecting the containers and moving trucks by using radiological detection. It can scan 150 moving trucks within one hour. The System successfully reduced the cost of a container inspection at a percentage of 51 per cent and the time required for a container inspection is also reduced at a percentage of 82 per cent. This positively enhanced the customer satisfaction.

“The Advanced Container Scanning System enables Dubai Customs to meet the continuous increase of containers capacity in Jebel Ali Port, as it is expected that such capacity will reach more than 29 million containers in 2020 when the Emirate of Dubai will host the Expo. This will increase the challenges confronting Dubai Customs in its capacity as the first line maintaining the safety of the community, in addition to its main role in facilitating the legal trade movement.”

The electronic connection between container scanning devices, Customs Declaration System and the other systems used in Dubai Customs contributed greatly in increasing the smoothness of customs inspection workflow, enabling inspection procedures to be finished faster than before without the need to unload containers, said the statement.

This system is associated with the Risk Engine developed by Dubai Customs, provided with information from different resources. It can detect suspicious shipments with high accuracy, transmitting information to Risk Profile Department for evaluating and dealing with risks, and transferring some shipments to competent authorities or transferring them for inspection.

Dubai Customs’ approach in combating illegal trade, therefore, is a highly efficient one, as about 84 per cent from unsuspected shipment transactions are evaluated by Risk Engine and electronically cleared in less than two minutes without any human interference, starting from the time when client enters shipment data in Customs Clearance System, via the different channels Dubai Customs provides for its clients as smartphones, Business To Government (B2G) Channel and internet. - TradeArabia News Service