Commissioner of Customs & Excise Richard Yuen has unveiled an electronic customs clearance system which expedites road cargo processing.

At the launch ceremony today, Mr Yuen said the road cargo system complies with the international trend to use information technology to enhance customs clearance. It will be tested for 18 months.

"The new system will help strengthen Hong Kong's position as an international trading and logistics centre and promote the further development of the logistics industry in Hong Kong and Guangdong," he said.

Under the system, the Customs & Excise Department issues a reference number to a shipper or freight forwarder to confirm the receipt of the goods' details. Truck drivers provide the number and the vehicle's registration number to the department at least 30 minutes before the truck passes through a land boundary control point.

When the truck arrives at the control point, a visual display unit will indicate whether the cargo has been selected for inspection. A truck not selected for inspection can leave upon the driver's immigration clearance.

Mr Yuen said besides providing a fast and time-saving customs clearance system for the logistics industry, the long-term objective is to use the new platform to simplify clearance procedures for inter-modal operators, so cargo involving air and land transfer will be subject to one inspection at one control point.

The new system's launch also signifies the implementation of the Import & Export (Amendment) Ordinance 2007, which requires shippers or freight forwarders to use the system mandatorily for all import and export of road cargo on November 17 next year.