13 April 2007

 

            

 

               Customs and Border Protection announced that it is developing procedures that will give trusted importers in the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) program an additional benefit designed to reduce container demurrage.

 

            Currently, when an importer enters a shipment with multiple containers, all containers must be held until released. If Customs selects a container for inspection, it and all other containers listed on the entry are held at the ocean terminal until the inspection is completed.

 

            Under the new process…  Customs would require only the container(s) targeted for exam to be held at the terminal. Trusted C-TPAT importers would be allowed to truck the remaining containers to their premises, reducing demurrage fees.

 

            Importers must be able to make the repositioned containers available to Customs if so requested, and all repositioned containers must be kept sealed and intact until Customs lifts the hold on the entire shipment.

 

            Customs … did not announced an effective date for the new procedures.