KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent and the Grenadines — The Customs and Excise Department has intensified preparations for the official launch of the upgraded ASYCUDA World 4.40 platform, with stakeholder training sessions now underway as part of the country’s wider trade modernization efforts.
The training forms part of the Vincy Single Window for Trade, known as VSWIFT, which is aimed at improving the efficiency of customs and trade-related services through digital transformation.
Training sessions were held on May 19 and 20 for agents, consolidators, and customs brokers, focusing on the eManifest and Declaration modules of the upgraded system. The department said the sessions are intended to strengthen stakeholder capacity ahead of the platform’s official launch on June 8, 2026.
The opening ceremony included remarks from VSWIFT Project Manager Krislin Goulbourne-Harry and Comptroller of Customs and Excise Selwyn DaSilva. Both officials highlighted the importance of the upgrade in improving trade facilitation, operational efficiency, and the digital transformation of customs operations in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The eManifest training focused on the electronic submission and control of cargo information before arrival or departure, including vessel details, cargo listings, and container data. Officials said the upgraded process is expected to improve pre-arrival processing, strengthen risk management, and support faster and more accurate customs clearance.
Additional training on declaration processing focused on the submission, validation, and processing of import and export declarations within the ASYCUDA World system. This is expected to help ensure compliance with customs regulations while supporting more accurate duty assessments and cargo release procedures.
VSWIFT is designed to streamline cross-border trade by allowing businesses and stakeholders to process licences, permits, certificates, and other trade-related documents through a single integrated electronic platform involving multiple government agencies.
The project is being implemented in collaboration with the United Nations Trade and Development under the Caribbean Digital Transformation Project, as part of the Government’s broader digital transformation agenda to modernize public systems, improve efficiency, and enhance service delivery.