The following pertains to all Air Import Shipments to the U.S. from any origin.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has announced that Air Cargo Advanced Screening (ACAS) has become effective on June 12, 2018. This program has been in a voluntary pilot phase for some time, but now it is a requirement. If you currently import to the U.S. via ocean transportation, you should be familiar with the ISF program. Basically ACAS is, in my opinion, the equivalent of ISF for air transportation, but it currently requires only six elements to be reported.
The ACAS data elements that are now required to be collected are the following:
- Shipper Name and Address – individual name or name of business and a valid street address including city/province, country and postal code
- Consignee Name and Address – individual name or name of business and a valid street address with city/province, country and postal code
- Cargo Description – please note that generic cargo descriptions should be avoided
- Piece Count – total quantity based on the smallest packing unit
- Weight – total weight of cargo expressed in either pounds or kilograms
- Air Waybill Number – must be included as the Unique Transmission Identifier
This information will be transmitted by the air carriers who receive the information from the overseas forwarder prior to consolidation and loading of the cargo onto the aircraft. It is basic information, but as we know this could be expanded in the future. This process should be completely transparent to you as the importer and should not require any extra effort on your part.
Additional background and information can be found through the following links:
https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/assets/documents/2018-Jun/ACAS%20FAQ%2006112018%20FINAL.pdf
https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/assets/documents/2018-Jun/ACASIG-v4.0-061318.pdf
If you have questions on this or any compliance matter, our Compliance team can be contacted via email at Compliance@oceanair.net, and one of our key compliance team members, Bill Connolly, Mark Butler, or Paul D’Eon, will assist you in your needs.
