U.S. Customs and Border Protection is planning to conduct a pilot test of a new electronic manifest in the Automated Commercial Environment Truck Manifest System for truck shipments of commercial goods transiting from point to point in Canada through the United States. This test will commence no earlier than May 27 and will run for approximately six months at the ports of Port Huron, Mich.; Pembina,  N.D.; and Blaine, Wash. Participation is currently limited to nine Canadian truck carriers, each of which is a bonded carrier and a certified member of the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism. 

Currently, a truck carrying such in-transit goods must present a paper U.S.-Canada Transit Manifest (CBP Form 7512-B Canada 8½) to CBP when it crosses the border at the U.S. ports of arrival and exit. CBP also requires the electronic filing of certain information regarding such in-transit goods in advance of the truck’s arrival at the border. The ACE Truck Manifest System enables these in-transit shipments to be filed under shipment release type 62 as transportation and entry in-bond entries, which includes a complete ANSI X12 manifest (referred to as a 309 manifest) with trip, shipment (including the value of the goods along with a description of the cargo and a Harmonized Tariff Schedule number to the six-digit level), conveyance, equipment, crew and passenger data.

Under the forthcoming test, participating truck carriers transporting such in-transit goods will be required to submit an e-manifest in the ACE Truck Manifest System under a new shipment release type 70 no later than 30 minutes prior to arrival in the U.S. Carriers will be required to submit the same set of data elements as on a 309 manifest, except that CBP will accept (a) a value amount of $2 per pound when the actual value is not available and (b) a precise description of the cargo rather than the HTS number.

The in-transit manifest will be processed and retained in ACE in the same manner as a type 62 manifest. When the shipment arrives in the U.S., CBP will generate a “transit movement authorized” message (referred to as a 350 message) that will be sent to the carrier. The shipment will then be able to transit the U.S. and proceed to the U.S. port of export as an in-transit entry. When the shipment arrives at the port of export the carrier will report the arrival of the shipment to CBP via an EDI message or through the carrier’s ACE portal account. CBP will issue another 350 message notifying the carrier that the shipment has entered Canada and that the in-transit entry is closed.

This has been posted in the 27 April 27 2016 edition of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg Trade Report.