US Customs proposals published

DETAILS OF US Customs proposals that will require shippers to electronically provide detailed information on 100% of a ship’s cargo before it enters the United States have now been published. It’s already generated heated debate around the practicalities of enforcement although Customs Commissioner Ralph Basham believes it will help to facilitate lawful international trade by identifying low-risk shipments much earlier in the supply chain. According to a Customs statement, the proposed regulation will require carriers to submit a vessel stow plan providing information about the physical location of cargo loaded aboard a vessel bound for the US, and container status messages which report container movements and changes in status (eg empty or full). In addition importers will be required to submit an Importer Security Filing requiring a plethora of information from manufacturer's name and address to buyer's details, country of origin and a host of other particulars.