The MANTRA System
In Brazil there is a system for registering air cargo loading, unloading and transit which allows importers and all other involved entities to track cargo. In this article, we will take a look at the MANTRA system.
What is MANTRA
Siscomex MANTRA stands for Manifesto de Trânsito Aduaneiro e Armazenamento, which is Portuguese for Manifest of Customs Transit and Storage. It is a foreign trade system managed by the Receita Federal, which is Portuguese for Federal Revenue, for tracking cargo loading, unloading and transit of cargo between customs units in Brazil during import operations that were conducted via air. As its name states, MANTRA is a part of Siscomex, which is the Integrated System of External Commerce, that is also monitored by the Federal Revenue.
Who has access to MANTRA
The following people and entities have access to Siscomex MANTRA:
- Federal Revenue Tax Audits, in order to monitor if there are any inconsistencies in loading and unloading operations
- Importers and their representatives in order to track if their cargo is released by Customs
- Cargo consolidators
- Infraero - the public company responsible for managing Brazilian airports
- Freight forwarder
It is possible to access Siscomex MANTRA online here.
What is MANTRA for
The purpose of Siscomex MANTRA is to inform that the cargo has arrived in Brazil, if it is stored in bonded units at an airport or if it is in transit between bonded customs units. The information is supplied by the Federal Revenue, freight forwarders and Infraero.
Steps of cargo registry
Siscomex MANTRA tracks information relating to the cargo in several phases during the loading/unloading process:
- International cargo manifest: the airline/cargo agent performing the freight of the cargo registers the import operation prior to the arrival of the aircraft in Brazil, with their respectives Air Waybills, Master Air Waybills or House Air Waybills
- Arrival of the aircraft: an airline/cargo agent is responsible for registering with MANTRA the arrival of the cargo. After confirmation of the data, the agent receives the number of the Entry Term of the cargo in the Infraero cargo terminal, and presents it to the Supervision and Retention Staff of the Federal Revenue
- Cargo deconsolidation: the airline/cargo agent separates the documentation into a number of different documents - in cases of a Master Air Waybill - called House Air Waybills. Then the Federal Revenue Tax Audit confirms the data registry and validates the information
- Cargo storage record: Infraero checks and stores the cargo
- Confirmation of storage: the airline/cargo agent confirms the storing of the cargo
- Checking of storage: after the procedures made effective by the airline/cargo agent and by Infraero, all the information is checked by a Federal Revenue Tax Audit. Confirmation is granted automatically or manually, depending on if any inconsistency is found. After confirmation, the process of customs clearance is initialised
- Registry of Documento Liberatório: cleared for customs clearance, the Documento Liberatório, which is Portuguese for Discharging Document, is registered with Siscomex by the importer or their legal representative for ensuing customs clearance
The International cargo manifest should state the following information:
- Identification of each parcel of the cargo
- Identification of transporting vehicle
- Treatment to be provided to the cargo at the arrival airport
Codes used by MANTRA
Siscomex MANTRA uses a code system called Código de Natureza de Carga, based on the one used by the International Air Transport Association in order to ease the handling and storage of cargo. The correct registry of this code in the Siscomex MANTRA is fundamental to the right treatment of cargo handling and storage. The codes used to describe cargo are:
- AVI, live animals
- BIG, nonstandard
- CAO, exclusively air cargo
- DIP, diplomatic bag
- EAT, edibles
- FIL, roll of film
- HEA, heavy cargo - 150 Kg or more, depending on the volume
- HEG, fertilized egg
- HUM, mortal remains in coffin
- ICE, dry ice
- LHO, live human organs or human blood
- MAG, magnetized materials
- MUW, war ammunition
- NGJ, dangerous cargo in small quantities
- NOR, normal
- NWP, newspapers or magazines
- PER, perishable cargo
- RAC, reserved air cargo
- RCL, cryogenic liquids
- RCM, corrosive
- RFG, flammable compressed gas
- RFL, flammable liquid
- RFS, flammable solid
- RFW, dangerous if wet
- RHF, noxious, to store away from edibles
- RIS, infectious substance
- RMD, multiple hazardous goods
- RNG, non-flammable compressed gas
- ROP, organic peroxide
- ROX, oxidant
- RPB, poison
- RPG, poisonous gas
- RRW, radioactive material, category I
- RRY, radioactive material, categories II and III
- RSB, polystyrene beads
- RSC, spontaneous combustion
- RXB, explosives 1.4B
- RXC, explosives 1.4C
- RXD, explosives 1.4D
- RXE, explosives 1.4E
- RXG, explosives 1.4G
- RXS, explosives 1.4S
- SAL, surface mail
- VAL, valuable cargo
Siscomex MANTRA also has a code for damaged cargo:
- J, wet cargo
- K, un-nailed
- L, re-nailed
- M, indications of cargo violation
- N, scratched
- O, activated impact sensor
- P, activated tilt sensor
- Q, cargo received with altered information
- R, indications of deterioration