The Office of the Commissioner of Customs (General), Mumbai Zone-I, has announced a nationwide rollout of the Stuffing (SF) Message system under the Sea Cargo Manifest and Transshipment Regulations (SCMTR), 2018, marking a major shift toward digital automation in export logistics. The new system came into effect on 25 November 2025, following recent directions from the Directorate General of Systems & Data Management (DG S&DM).
SCMTR Compliance Deadline Extended
The rollout follows Notification No. 61/2025-Customs (N.T.), which extended the implementation deadline of all SCMTR provisions to 31 December 2025. In line with the extension, DG Systems issued advisories in September and October directing pilot testing of the SF module and its gradual expansion to all customs locations across India.
What the New SF Message System Changes
Under the newly introduced digital system, custodians will now file container-wise stuffing details directly on ICEGATE, replacing the long-standing manual practice where customs officers entered stuffing reports. Once filed, the SF Message will appear on the officer’s screen, allowing verification and approval at the relevant location—ICD, CFS, or SEZ.
The approval of the SF message signifies that no further cargo remains to be stuffed in a particular container, bringing greater transparency and real-time tracking into the export cycle.
Transition Phase: Manual Option to Coexist Temporarily
To ensure smooth migration, the customs department has allowed both systems—digital SF message and traditional stuffing entry—to operate in parallel. The manual option will be discontinued only after the digital process stabilizes across all ports and cargo handling facilities. This approach aims to prevent operational disruptions during the transition period.
Upcoming Messages: ASR, DP, AR, ST, AT & DT
While the SF Message has gone live pan-India, several other SCMTR components—
• ASR (Allowed for Shipment Request),
• Departure (DP),
• Arrival (AR),
• Stripping (ST),
• Arrival Time (AT), and
• Departure Time (DT)
are yet to be activated. Once implemented, these will enable end-to-end digital processing of export and transshipment activities.
Stakeholder Training and Error Resolution
DG Systems has been conducting technical training sessions for custodians, highlighting common errors encountered during mock filing of SF messages. A detailed list of error codes and their explanations has also been made available on ICEGATE to support trade stakeholders in achieving compliance. The Message Implementation Guide (MIG) has similarly been published online.
Notification Details
Public Notice No. 89/2025
Date: 27/11/2025
