An integrated customs management system developed by Singapore’s CrimsonLogic for the Panama Customs Authority has gone live. The Sistema Integrado de Gestion Aduanera (SIGA), which was commissioned in 2010, will help expedite customs documentation processing for importers and exporters in Panama.

“International Trade is one of the main pillars in Panama’s economy, generating US$10 billion of imports and exports each year. This system will enable smoother trade through more efficient and transparent documentation, as well as timely statutory approvals and stronger valuation systems which will cement Panama’s position as an international trade and logistics hub,” said Dr Gloria Moreno de Lopez, Director General of the Panama Customs Authority.

CrimsonLogic was tasked to build, operate and maintain the SIGA system with the aim of digitising the administrative system of the customs operations, obtain correct valuation of goods traded, improve efficiency of the trading community and ultimately enhance the country’s trade competitiveness and border security.

Dr Moreno said CrimsonLogic played a key role in bringing the project to fruition. “The expertise and insights CrimsonLogic brings, as well as the experience with various global governments in delivering such systems are key success factors in this partnership,” she said.

The SIGA system comprises major customs documentation modules to improve the ease of doing business, covering areas like online business registration, import and export, payment management, container tracking and other services.

The SIGA system is the third major project that CrimsonLogic has implemented in Panama. In 2004, CrimsonLogic completed the Advanced Data Collection and Mobile Data Collection Systems (jointly known as the Electronic Data Collection System) for the Panama Canal Administration. In 2008, the company implemented a paperless documentation system for the Colon Free Zone Administration, the largest free zone in the Americas and the second largest in the world. This enabled freight forwarders, customs brokers, importers and exporters to file all their documentation to the Colon Free Zone Administration and the Panama Customs electronically, eliminating the use of paper documents.

With the completion of the SIGA system for Panama Customs Authority, CrimsonLogic is able to leverage on Panama as a strong reference site for eGovernment solutions to further enhance its business position in the Latin America region.