Overview of Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS)
The Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) was introduced by the Ministry of Steel in collaboration with the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) under Notification No. 17/2015-2020. SIMS mandates advance electronic disclosure of steel import data to safeguard domestic metallurgy, monitor predatory dumping, and ensure national traceability.
Under SIMS, all importers of specific iron and steel items falling under Chapter 72, Chapter 73, and Chapter 86 of the Indian Trade Classification (ITC-HS) must register advance shipment details on the online SIMS portal prior to filing their Bill of Entry at Indian Customs. Upon successful filing and fee payment, a Unique Registration Number (URN) is generated, which is compulsory for customs clearance on ICEGATE.
Statutory Filing Window & Validity Period
Filing Window
Importers can submit an advance registration on the SIMS portal not earlier than the 60th day and not later than the expected arrival / Bill of Entry submission date before cargo arrival. Timely filing avoids terminal penalties and demurrage.
Certificate Validity
Each generated SIMS Registration Number remains valid for a period of 75 days from issuance. A single registration number can cover multiple consignments if bills of entry fall within the authorized quantity and invoice parameters.
Covered Steel Chapters & Product Scope
SIMS applies to over 284 tariff lines across the following major chapters:
- Chapter 72 (Iron & Steel): Semi-finished products, flat-rolled steel (hot-rolled and cold-rolled coils/sheets), stainless steel, alloy steel, wire rods, bars, angles, shapes, and sections.
- Chapter 73 (Articles of Iron or Steel): Seamless and welded steel tubes, pipes, hollow profiles, railway track construction material, wire ropes, and structural steel components.
- Chapter 86 (Railway Track Material): Specified railway or tramway track fixtures, fittings, and mechanical signaling equipment fabricated from steel.
Information & Documents Required for SIMS Registration
Ocean Technovative's foreign trade advisors verify steel technical sheets to ensure accurate mapping with DGFT databases:
- Importer Credentials: Valid 10-digit Importer-Exporter Code (IEC), GSTIN, and company PAN details linked with DGFT login.
- Commercial Invoice & Purchase Order: Foreign supplier invoice detailing steel description, commercial grade, invoice currency, CIF value, and port of origin.
- Mill Test Certificate (MTC): Producer technical certificate indicating chemical composition (Carbon, Manganese, Silicon, Sulphur, Phosphorus content), tensile strength, yield strength, and heat number.
- Shipping Specifics: Expected Date of Arrival (ETA), Port of Importation (Sea / Air / ICD port code), and country of shipment.
Procedural Workflow with Ocean Technovative
Fast-Track URN Issuance
1. Document Review: Our team reviews your commercial invoice and mill test certificate to cross-verify exact 8-digit ITC-HS classifications and statutory duty parameters.
2. Portal Submission & Fee Payment: We submit the detailed itemized schedule on the DGFT SIMS platform and process the statutory government fee.
3. Immediate URN Generation & Customs Integration: The official SIMS Registration Certificate and URN are generated immediately and relayed to your Customs Broker (CHA) for inclusion in the ICEGATE Bill of Entry.