Source: WCO/Saudi Customs
06.04.2020
Saudi Customs has taken some precautionary measures and the best practices to safeguard public health security and to limit the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, while ensuring the continuity and smooth flow of trade. These procedures are as follows:
1. Trucks arriving at Saudis ports for transit:
• Applying the health precautions for entering of cargo truck drivers through all the land ports of Saudi Arabia. These include a number of measures limiting the transit trucks’ passage through land ports to transport basic commodities (food, medicine, and relief cargo). Empty trucks that have previously passed through the territory of Saudi Arabia are permitted only to pass.
• All trucks coming into and exiting from Saudi Arabia through all the land ports continue to be allowed as follows:
i. Duba port: without drivers.
ii. Halat Ammar, Haditha, and Durrah Port: only trucks that are driven by Saudi or Jordanian drivers or drivers residing in Saudi Arabia, provided that they have a valid regular public license and complete the necessary terms thereof.
• Truck drivers are checked before they enter the entrance port and those who show symptoms of the new Corona virus will be returned, as well as they are checked when leaving.
• Obliging the drivers of transit trucks to obtain visas through Saudi embassies or consulates in those countries from which they came and not to obtain visas through the entrance port.
• Giving transit truck drivers specific period as usual to leave Saudi Arabia after entering and relying on tracking systems and applying financial fines to violators, while Saudi Customs continue to complete their procedures for truck failure.
2. Trucks arriving at Saudi ports for entering Saudi Arabia:
• Trucks carrying basic commodities (food, medicine, and relief cargo) are still allowed to enter directly. The Saudi Food and Drug Authority will determine these commodities, provided that the Ministry of Health shall take all precautions.
• Obliging the drivers of trucks to obtain visas through Saudi embassies or consulates in those countries from which they came and not to obtain visas through the entrance port.
• Truck drivers are checked before they enter the port and those who show symptoms of the new Corona virus will be returned, as well as they are checked when leaving.
• All transport trucks are allowed to enter Saudi Arabia through ports without drivers, provided that all trucks are sterilized by competent authorities under the supervision of the Ministry of Health.
• For trucks coming through the land ports with Jordan, the entry is limited to Saudi and Jordanian drivers and who have a residence and a regular public license valid in Saudi Arabia only.
3. Actions and measures taken regarding exportation:
• Customs items for medicines, pharmaceutical preparations and medical devices have been identified and restricted in customs regulations so that they are not exported until obtaining the required approvals.
Further information: http://www.wcoomd.org/-/media/wco/public/global/pdf/topics/facilitation/.......saudi-arabia_en.pdf?la=en