13 August 2004

[US]Customs enforcing air-cargo security

The following article is excerpted from “The Journal of Commerce” edition of 12 August 2004.

Customs and Border Protection will begin phased enforcement of its advance electronic cargo-reporting rules for inbound air cargo beginning Friday [ie 13 August].

Enforcement activity has been divided into regions to allow the system and personnel to adjust to the new requirements. It will begin Friday for states east of the Appalachian Mountains. On Oct. 13, enforcement will extend to the Midwest. It will begin Dec. 13 for states west of the Rocky Mountains.

The final rules, which were published in December 2003, … require carriers to report critical cargo data through Customs' Air Automated Manifest System before flights arrive at a U.S. airport. For long-distance flights, carriers must report the data four hours before the aircraft arrives in the U.S. For shorter flights -- generally from ports within North and Central America -- carriers must transmit air cargo data at "wheels up," when an aircraft leaves the ground.