“Special bill” rollout in U.S. Customs’ AMS delayed to Jan. 10

“Special bill” rollout in U.S. Customs’ AMS delayed to Jan. 10

“Special bill” rollout in U.S. Customs’ AMS delayed to Jan. 10

   The U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection will delay the industry-wide implementation of an automated procedure to help liner carriers and non-vessel-operating common carriers better manage their inland moves of ocean containers through the agency’s electronic manifest system.
   Since Dec. 2, 2002, liner carriers and NVOs have been required to electronically file their manifests to Customs 24 hours prior to loading on U.S.-bound ships overseas. However, users of Customs’ Automated Manifest System (AMS) continue to struggle when their containerized cargo reaches U.S. ports.
   In mid-April, a group of liner carrier and NVO executives approached Customs with a plan for a better way to manage AMS filings, called the “special bill” process. Customs accepted the plan and hoped to implement it by Dec. 6.
   However, the NVOs testing the special bill process still experience problems with receiving messages through the AMS secondary notify party function. Customs is working vigorously to correct this problem.
   “We want to restore and improve communications among trade members,” said John Considine, director of cargo verification at Customs, in a telephone interview with Shippers’ NewsWire. “Obviously, we don’t want to make it worse.”
   Customs set the new rollout date for the special bill process for Jan. 10.
   Executives for the companies testing the special bill process with Customs approve of the delay.
   “With all the other requirements Customs has on its plate, a delay is not surprising,” said Forrest MacKenzie, a systems specialist for Richmond, Va.-based liner carrier “K” Line America, and the testing liner carrier. “If it’s not working right, we certainly concur that a delay is required.”
   “The system must work from day one when it’s implemented,” said Robert Foley, president of Silver Spring, Md.-based Flagship Customs Services, testing the special bill program with Customs on behalf of the NVOs. “We’re convinced it will ultimately work.”
   Considine said the delayed implementation may open the door for other liner carriers and NVOs to participate in the test, but it will remain a controlled group.