US CBP Extends Air Cargo Pilot

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is extending its Air Cargo Advanced Screening (ACAS) pilot for an additional nine months until July 26, the agency said.

The program involves the transmission of data about air cargo destined to or transiting through the United States.

Applicants can apply to join the pilot programme until December 23.

"The (Air Cargo Advanced Screening) ACAS pilot is a voluntary test in which participants submit a subset of required advanced air cargo data to CBP at the earliest point practicable prior to loading of the cargo onto the aircraft destined to or transiting through the United States," said the notice in the Federal Register.

The ACAS pilot programme requires participants to transmit a subset of mandatory advance electronic information about their air cargo either four hours before the cargo is scheduled to arrive in the US, or at the time of departure of their cargo for the US.

"The results of the ACAS pilot will help determine the relevant data elements, the time frame within which data must be submitted to permit CBP to effectively target, identify and mitigate any risk with the least impact practicable on trade operations, and any other related procedures and policies," said the CBP.

This has been posted on the CTL website on 28 October 2013 at: http://www.ctl.ca/news/us-customs-and-border-protection-extends-air-cargo-pilot/1002681066/.