CBP Web site to help post-incident trade recovery

CBP Web site to help post-incident trade recovery U.S. Customs and Border Protection has developed a communication template to provide U.S. importers and cross-border logistics providers information about the operating status of ports of entry in the event of a natural disaster or terrorist attack.
   CBP’s Uniform Business Resumption Messaging board is posted on the agency’s Web site under the Import Section, subhead “Communications to the Trade.”
   Following an event that causes heightened security measures or damages port infrastructure, CBP will post information designed to help traders make decisions on how to continue import operations through their normal port of entry or alternative locations. The Web site will include information such as:
   * Description, time and location of an incident.
   * Affected ports of entry.
   * Wait times.
   * Duration and impact of delay.
   * Suggested alternative ports or routes.
   * Hours of operation at alternative port.
   The business resumption message is currently limited to information about ports of entry on the northern border. Jeremy Luczkowski, acting director for incident management in the Office of Anti-Terrorism, said at a Customs trade security conference in New Orleans last week that the agency is working with the Coast Guard to create a similar disaster recovery communication board for ocean ports of entry. Separate message boards will also be created for the southern border and the air environment.
   Members of the trade can use the Remote Subscription Service (RSS) feed so that the message board can reside on a company’s Web site and employees can constantly monitor CBP updates.
   The Web-based messaging system is an outgrowth of recent CBP efforts to develop multiple channels for communicating with the trade community following a major disruption. CBP is developing plans with trade input to speak with a consistent voice and communicate quickly following a disaster so that businesses can quickly adapt and use available ports of entry. The goal is to minimize the economic ripple effects that could harm businesses and national security due to a localized disaster.
   The Uniform Business Resumption Messaging screen can be accessed at: ttp://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/import/communications_to_trade/bus_resumption/.