HONG KONG URGES COMPLIANCE WITH 24-HOUR RULE

HONG KONG URGES COMPLIANCE WITH 24-HOUR RULE    The government of Hong Kong urged local exporters and freight service providers Thursday to quickly upgrade information technology systems and change business practices in order to comply with U.S. Customs Service rules requiring electronic submission of manifest data 24 hours before goods are loaded on a U.S.-bound vessel.
   “Exporters will suffer losses eventually should there be any delay in cargo shipment. I therefore appeal to exporters to advance cargo data compilation and submission to their freight forwarders or carriers to meet the new schedules,” Henry Tang, secretary for commerce, industry and technology said in letter to the cargo industry, according to a news release from the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York. Most shipping lines operating in Hong Kong already have connections to Customs’ Automated Manifest System.
   “The government will spare no efforts to help the industry comply with the U.S. Customs’ rule,” but freight forwarders and consolidators should register the Customs Service and connect to AMS as soon as possible, Tang said. “This will go a long way to maintaining the competitiveness of the industry and Hong Kong’s position as a leading trade hub.”
   Hong Kong officials are meeting with U.S. Customs Deputy Commissioner Douglas Browning and other officials who are in Hong Kong this week to discuss coordinating security programs. Customs will begin enforcing the 24-hour filing rule Feb. 2.