CUSTOMS PROPOSES AMENDMENT ON AIR WAYBILL NUMBERS USAGE

CUSTOMS PROPOSES AMENDMENT ON AIR WAYBILL NUMBERS USAGE    U.S. Customs has proposed to amend regulations on the use of an air waybill number that would allow one year to elapse before an air waybill number may be used on another air cargo manifest.
   Current regulations prohibit the re-use of an air waybill for three years after it is used on an air cargo manifest.
   Customs said the change was being considered to help the agency improve its internal automated information systems that track and archive shipments by using manifest numbers. “The huge volume of importations is affecting the availability of usable numbers for air cargo manifests,” Customs said.
   Customs said it would accept public comment on the amendment. Such comments should be received on or before April 30, and sent (in triplicate) to: Regulations Branch, Office of Regulations and Rulings, U.S. Customs Service, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., 3rd Floor, Washington, D.C. 20229.