U.S. CENSUS EASES USE OF AESDIRECT FOR EXPORTER, FORWARDER FILERS

U.S. CENSUS EASES USE OF AESDIRECT FOR EXPORTER, FORWARDER FILERS    The U.S. Census Bureau’s Foreign Trade Division completed several changes over the weekend to its free Internet link to Customs’ Automated Export System to make it easier for exporters and freight forwarders to file their shipper’s export declaration information.
   “These changes will make it a lot easier for filers to use AESDirect,” said Gerard J. Horner, chief of the AES Branch at Census’ Foreign Trade Division in Suitland, Md. The changes to AESDirect were made by the agency’s systems contractor, Flagship Customs Services, based in Silver Spring, Md.
   With the template function, AESDirect will now remove the export date from the retrieved shipment record. This will avoid accidental filing of the new shipment with the older shipment date.
   The agency also removed the requirement for in-bond codes in AESDirect until the introduction of a new in-bond module in AES is complete.
   AESDirect “Status Lights” for equipment, intermediate consignee, and forwarder, will not be shown unless data is entered or exists for these sections. Also, the identification number and identification type data fields have been removed from the consignee and intermediate consignee data entry and display screens.
   In addition, the word “Vehicles” in AESDirect has been renamed “Used Vehicles,” because exports of used vehicles require vehicle identification numbers, title numbers, and title state information.
   The agency made the changes to AESDirect based on exporter and forwarder feedback at recent workshops in Laredo, Texas; New York; Los Angeles; Chicago; Miami; San Francisco; and Pittsburgh. “This is the beginning of more changes to come that will benefit the trade,” Horner said.