1. What is a port departure permit?

Permit to leave port (Port Clearance in English) is a document that allows ships to depart from a seaport. The Maritime Port Authority is the competent authority port departure permit.

The content of the license includes:

- Ship information such as name, nationality, ship number, capacity;

- Name of the captain and number of members on board (including crew and passengers);

- Quantity of goods;

- Time the ship leaves the port and arrives at the port;

- Title and signature of the person who issued the license.

The above information must ensure accuracy in terms of content and quantity before being allowed to export. The customs department will check the information content as well as the quantity of goods to verify the accuracy of the records.

In case the information on the license is different from the information checked by the customs department, the ship will not be allowed to leave the port and will be detained.

The detention of a ship not only affects the time and effort of everyone on board, but also costs a lot of money and the quality of the goods to be transported.

2. Procedures for applying for a port departure permit

2.1. Profile components

Article 53 of Decree No. 08/2021/ND-CP Regulates the person carrying out procedures to submit and present the following documents:

- Documents to be submitted: passenger list (for passenger transport vehicles);

- Documents to present:

+ Shipping contract or shipping document or goods release note;

+ Certificate of professional ability, professional certificate of crew members and vehicle drivers if there is any change compared to when the vehicle entered the port or inland wharf.

- For newly built, converted, or repaired vehicles when launched for operation, the vehicle owner or the owner of the facility for building, converting, repairing, and restoring the vehicle must present the following documents to the Port Authority:

+ Minutes of inspection confirming the vehicle's eligibility for operation by the Registry Office;

+ The plan to ensure traffic safety when launching vehicles is prepared by the owner of the facility that builds, converts, or repairs the vehicle.

2.2. Implementing agencies

Maritime Port Authority or Maritime Port Authority Representative.

2.3. The order of execution

Step 1: Submit

Before the inland waterway vehicle leaves the seaport, the person carrying out the procedures must submit and present to the Port Authority the papers and documents of the watercraft according to regulations.

Step 2: Resolve procedures

- Documents must comply with regulations and be valid. The vehicle will be inspected for technical safety equipment as well as environmental protection.

2.4. How to perform

- Submit and present documents directly at the Port Authority;

- Electronic procedures through the Ministry of Transport's electronic information portal (vehicles, inland transport ships, seaplanes);

- Electronic procedures applying the national single-window mechanism (vehicles, ships on entry and exit, foreign waterway vehicles);

- Electronic procedures through the Asean Single Window;

- Other forms as prescribed by law.

(Based on Article 51 of Decree No. 08/2021/NĐ-CP).

2.5. Resolution deadline

No later than 30 minutes from the time the person completing the procedures has submitted and presented all required documents.