An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

  1. Home
  2. Trade
  3. ACE and Automated Systems
  4. CBP.gov Announcement of NCAP Tests for Air, Ocean and Rail Manifest

CBP.gov Announcement of NCAP Tests for Air, Ocean and Rail Manifest

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:

  1. Electronic validation of Internal Transaction Number (ITN) and exemption report on air and vessel manifests

  2. Electronic notification of holds and releases to the carrier

  3. 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

80 FR 39790

80 FR 50644

80 FR 54305

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

  • At least three, but no more than six, air carriers that currently file CBP Form 7509
  • At least three, but no more than six, freight forwarders
  • At least three, but no more than six, vessel carriers; and,
  • And at least three, but no more than six, freight forwarders or NVOCCs
  • Limited to 9 rail carriers

 

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.

Last Modified: Dec 09, 2020