AAEI says 10+2 Costs will Mount

The American Association of Exporters and Importers (AAEI) in comments filed last week urged caution over the costs of U.S. Customs’ Importer Security Filing (10+2) interim final rule. 10+2 requires cargo information to be transmitted to CBP agents at least 24 hours before goods are shipped to the United States.

AAEI expressed concern to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that the costs of 10+2 compliance are still unknown. In the first months of implementation, the only cost CBP is capturing is the transaction fee for filing. However, AAEI notes that the true costs are much higher, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises. Plus, hidden costs of 10+2 compliance will add up quickly due to delays and slowdowns in the supply chain.

AAEI is also concerned about the lack of tangible benefits for voluntary participation in the costly C-TPAT program, and recommends that CBP allow C-TPAT members to satisfy 10+2 requirements by providing routine data at the aggregate level for common shipments.

For more information, please visit http://www.aaei.org

CBP Amends "Imported Directly" Requirement under Bahrain FTA

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has amended its regulations on an interim basis to change certain provisions relating to the requirement under the U.S.-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement that a good must be imported directly from one country to the other to qualify for preferential tariff treatment. This rule removes the condition that a good passing through the territory of an intermediate country while en route from one FTA party to the other must remain under the control of the customs authority of the intermediate country, a condition that is not contained in either the FTA or the U.S. law implementing it.

As a result of this change, the only requirement for a shipment passing through an intermediate country to be considered to be imported directly under the U.S.-Bahrain FTA is that it not undergo production, manufacturing or any other operation outside the territories of the U.S. or Bahrain other than unloading, reloading or any other operation necessary to preserve the good in good condition or transport it to the U.S. or Bahrain. Operations that may be performed in an intermediate country include inspection, removal of dust that accumulates during shipment, ventilation, spreading out or drying, chilling, replacing salt, sulfur dioxide, or aqueous solutions, replacing damaged packing materials and containers, and removal of units of the good that are spoiled or damaged and present a danger to the remaining units of the good, or to transport the good to the U.S. or Bahrain.

This rule is effective as of May 22.

To read this article, please visit WorldTrade\Interactive.

2009 Logistics Technology Roundtable: Navigating the Storm

The supply chain management software and technology investment research that’s been trickling in during the past few months (logisticsmgmt.com/software) has revealed that while times have certainly been tough, a percentage of savvy shippers continue to strategically invest in new implementations and upgrades.

That really shouldn’t surprise anyone considering the challenging transportation market over the past year; and the fact that increased trade regulations are putting even more pressure on global shippers for data at a time when nearly every logistics staff is doing more with less. For the vast majority of shippers who told us that their hands have been tied by upper management in terms of technology spending, the following panel discussion may offer you a clearer path through the current nasty weather.

Click here to read what the following four leading supply chain management technology analysts have to say on helping shippers to better harness existing systems and a make a stronger case to the C-suite:

1. Adrian Gonzalez, director of ARC Advisory Group’s Logistics Executive Council, discusses rising interest in Transportation Management Systems (TMS) and Global Trade Management (GTM)
2. Belinda Griffin, global supply chain executive program manager for Capgemini, discusses the growth of network optimization software
3. Greg Aimi, research director for AMR, shares tips on optimizing your current Warehouse Management System (WMS)
4. Brad Wyland, senior research analyst for the Aberdeen Group, wraps things up by helping shippers overcome technology adaptation issues

Speeding US Import Clearances

Successful steps have been taken to allow importers and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to more completely file and process most common entry summaries. CBP explains that entry summaries represent 96% of all entries filed each year. Now, through the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) program Secure Data Portal importer account holders can opt to receive and respond to CBP forms electronically.

Commenting on the initial implementation of the expanded capabilities, Louis Samenfink, ACE program executive director, said: "This is an exciting year for those who work on and with ACE as we have successfully begun the deployment of new automated entry summary processing features, and will deploy the replacement of current rail and sea automated manifest systems by mid-summer. More than 20,000 CBP and participating government agency end users will be affected by these innovative electronic processes."

To read the full article, please visit Outsourced Logistics.

US Census Bureau Clarifies Filing Time Frame

On April 23, 2008,Census Bureau issued a memorandum regarding filing time frames for shipments to Puerto Rico. The memorandum further clarifies the Foreign Trade Regulations (FTR) Letter No. 1, issued September 4, 2008, requirement for advance filing of Electronic Export Information (EEI) through the Automated Export System for shipments between the United States and Puerto Rico. As specified in the FTR, § 30.4(b)(2), the U.S. Principal Party in Interest (USPPI) or its authorized agent shall file the EEI when required, no later than the time period specified by the mode of transportation.

It has been determined that the Trade Act deadlines do not apply to shipments within the U.S. Customs Territory, which includes Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico therefore is exempt from the filing time frames in the FTR. After further consultation with the trade community serving Puerto Rico, Census states that the proof of filing citation, post-departure filing citation, or exemption citation must be presented to the carrier by the time the shipment arrives at the port of unloading for shipments between the United Sates and Puerto Rico.

To view the full article, please visit JOC Sailings.

AES Filing Time Frames Modified

The U.S. Census Bureau has modified the Automated Export System filing time frames for shipments between the U.S. and Puerto Rico.

Since Puerto Rico is part of the ”Customs territory of the United States,” shipments between the U.S. and Puerto Rico are exempt from the advance filing requirements set forth in the Foreign Trade Regulations (FTR) that were issued last year.

In FTR Letter No. 1 issued in September 2008, Census advised that even though Puerto Rico-related shipments were exempt from the FTR’s advance filing requirements, the proof of filing citation had to be presented to the carrier “prior to departure” of the shipment.

After consulting with the trade community servicing Puerto Rico Census has modified the filing deadline. In FTR Letter No. 4, which was issued on April 23rd, Census stated that for shipments between the U.S. and Puerto Rico the proof of filing citation, postdeparture filing citation or exemption citation now has to be presented to the carrier “by the time the shipment arrives at the port of unlading.”

To read this article, please visit WorldTrade\Interactive.