U.S. CUSTOMS, NVOS, CARRIERS AGREE ON AMS FIXES

U.S. CUSTOMS, NVOS, CARRIERS AGREE ON AMS FIXES    The Bureau of Customs and Border Protection has developed short-term and long-term solutions to problems experienced by non-vessel-operating common carriers that file manifests directly through an automated system.
   The problems started after Dec. 2, when Customs began enforcing manifest submissions 24 hours prior to loading inbound vessels. Many NVOs claim they are having trouble getting ocean carriers to move their cargo once it clears Customs because carriers aren't receiving the message to release the goods. The clearance messages go to the NVO and some carriers are refusing requests to move the cargo off the dock without direct proof that a shipment has cleared Customs.
   Brian Goebel, counsel and senior policy advisor in the Customs commissioner's office, said the border security agency would educate transportation providers about some of the functionality in the Automated Manifest System and create a data field for a second party, namely the carrier, to be notified of Customs' clearances.
   Customs has also authorized a paper printout release that terminal operators can give carriers as a back-up message and a blanket dissemination of transfer permits so carriers can move containers, Goebel said.
   Additionally, Customs plans to help coordinate the dissemination of a carrier's arrival information to automated NVOs, so they can include the data in the electronic manifest they file. Automated NVOs will also be able to process transfer permits for their in-bond moves, he said.
   Goebel said AMS would be programmed over the next several weeks to allow NVOs to transmit bills of lading through AMS and link it to the carrier's master bill of lading.
   'We are pleased that we could come together with the NVOs and the carriers to work out solutions to these issues so that we can meet the needs of security, NVOs and the carriers,' said Goebel at the meeting of the Treasury Advisory Committee on Commercial Operations on April 4.