Issue 377, October 30, 2002

C-TPAT, CSI and other pending Port and Homeland security Bills and Initiatives in the USA. more...

Danzas AEI Intercontinental is expecting U.S. Customs to announce (maybe as early as tomorrow (October 31st)) the implementation of new AMS (Automated Manifest System) rules which will require Shipping Lines and Logistics companies acting as carriers (NVOCCs) to present manifest information to U.S. Customs for all U.S. bound shipments/containers 24 hours prior to sailing at port of origin.

These new rules could be in effect as early as December 4th, 2002. Even if this date is pushed back further, we at Danzas AEI Intercontinental are convinced that these changes will come sooner rather than later.

Other maritime port security bills and homeland security initiatives are still pending, which could bring further changes to our logistics processes.

We also expect U.S. Customs and the U.S. Census Bureau to announce similar changes for export shipments/containers leaving the United States at some point next year. For U.S. Exporters, we think that U.S. Customs might eliminate Option 1, 3 & 4 for AES (Automated Export System) filings. This will require that all commodity data must be available before sailing, which is the requirement of Option 2 filing.

There is a good possibility that these new changes can, especially in the early stages of implementation, disrupt and delay your supply chains regardless of whether you are importing to or exporting from the United States. Please take these possible delays into consideration in your logistics planning, especially when shipping via the West Coast where we still face major delays caused by the recent lockout at the ports.

You can minimize any additional delays by reviewing your documentation processes and make sure that your shipping documents (usually your commercial invoice and packing list) are available as soon as your shipment is ready at origin. U.S. Importers should review these processes with their vendors, manufacturers and overseas offices. Please also ensure that all commercial invoices and packing lists contain accurate and detailed commodity descriptions.

We at Danzas AEI Intercontinental have been monitoring these developments since the early stages to be able to provide you with details as soon as they become available. You can be assured that Danzas AEI Intercontinental is operationally well-prepared to handle these new regulations as efficiently as possible to minimize additional delays.

With your support to provide us with your complete shipping documents as early as possible, you will allow us to expedite your shipments the fastest way possible.

Please note that due to the complex nature of the subject matter, DHL Danzas Air & Ocean cannot be responsible for actions taken by the reader in reliance on the information contained herein without prior consultation with DHL Danzas Air & Ocean.