Customs begins full enforcement of automated vessel manifest rule

Customs begins full enforcement of automated vessel manifest rule    The deadline for vessel carriers to begin submitting their shipping documents to U.S. border authorities electronically begins Tuesday.
   On that date, carriers are required by law to transmit their manifests 24-hours prior to loading a vessel. The 24-hour rule has been in place for more than a year and many vessel operators file manifests through an automated system. But the rule also allowed the cargo documents to be submitted to Customs and Border Protection by fax or other paper means.
   The Trade Act of 2002 eliminated that loophole while imposing advance manifest requirements on other modes of transportation as a tool for Customs to analyze inbound shipments for possible terrorist connections.
   Vessels that arrive in port and present a paper cargo declaration will be denied permission to unload, Customs said.