Tough new US regulations demand timeous manifest info

Submission 24 hours prior to loading Alan Peat FROM DECEMBER 2 strict new security regulations take effect for cargo to the US, requiring shipping lines to submit manifests 24 hours prior to loading. “This means that shippers will need to bring documents 72 hours in advance,” said a spokesman for Gulf Africa Line which operates a multi-purpose service on the route. This will involve a big education drive because at the moment everyone involved in the process is fairly lax when it comes to handing in shipping documents on time, he said. “In the past we did not have this information until we received manifest information, and this often happened up to more than a week after departure.” According to a notice sent out to clients by GAL, lines may not load cargo unless manifest information is submitted by the deadline. US Customs can order the inspection of a suspicious consignment within the 24-hour period. The rule applies to container shipments and breakbulk, with bulk shipments exempt for the time being. The impact on shipping lines is enormous, said another shipowner, because the customer will have to give some considerable detail of his cargo before the US customs will accept it. While this will be extremely onerous at the start, all parties agreed that ultimately it would work to the benefit of both shipper and shipping line. “It has been a bone of contention between shippers and shipping lines for some time,” said the source.