Overview
Three Federal Register Notices have been recently published announcing plans to conduct National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) tests concerning ACE export manifest capabilities to facilitate filing of electronic export manifest data for air, ocean, and rail cargo to ACE. These tests will have the following objectives:
- Test functionality for filing export manifest data for air cargo
- Gauge feasibility of requiring manifest information to be filed electronically within a specified timeframe before cargo is loaded onto an aircraft, ocean vessel, or train
Benefits
The intent of electronic submissions is to streamline business processes, facilitate growth in trade, ensure cargo security, and foster participation in global commerce, while ensuring compliance with U.S. laws and regulations. Additional benefits include:
Electronic validation of Internal Transaction Number (ITN) and exemption report on air and vessel manifests
Electronic notification of holds and releases to the carrier
Help inform creation of new policy on electronic export manifest
How to Participate in the Test
Members of the trade community are encouraged to participate in the Air, Ocean, and Rail Export Manifest tests. Participation will be limited to parties able to electronically transmit export manifest data in accordance with CBP’s technical documentation and/or those technical considerations provided below. In addition, participants must successfully complete certification testing with their client representative. For more information, please see the table below and visit the U.S. Customs and Border Protection page on the Federal Register website.
| Air | Ocean | Rail |
---|---|---|---|
Federal Register Notice | |||
FRN Publication Date | July 10, 2015 | August 20, 2015 | September 9, 2015 |
Test Start Date | No earlier than August 10, 2015 | No earlier than September 20, 2015 | No earlier than October 9, 2015 |
Test Duration | Approximately two years from August 10, 2015 | Approximately two years from September 20, 2015 | Approximately two years from October 9, 2015 |
Test Participants |
|
|
|
Other Participation Considerations | Parties must be able to electronically submit data to CBP and receive response message sets via Cargo-IMP, Air CAMIR, IATA Cargo IMP, IATA 2 XML, or MMM Unified XML. | Parties must be able to electronically submit data to CBP and receive response message sets via Ocean CAMIR, ANSI X12, or MMM Unified XML. | Parties must be able to electronically submit data to CBP and receive response message sets via ANSI X12 or Unified XML. |
CBP will accept applications from participants until it has received applications from nine parties that meet all test participant requirements. For more details on the tests, participant requirements and processes, and signing up, please refer to the Federal Register website.