U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Robert C. Bonner announced that approximately 70 percent of all maritime containers shipped to the United States are being screened through CBP’s Container Security Initiative (CSI). Developed in response to 9/11, CSI has rapidly expanded to 38 ports throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and North America – including the 20 ports shipping the greatest volume of containers to the United States.

    The CSI is the only multinational program in place today protecting global trading lanes. The CSI program enables CBP officers to partner with foreign governments to identify and inspect high-risk cargo containers at overseas ports, before they are loaded onto U.S. bound vessels.

    “CSI is a dynamic, evolving program moving rapidly forward to extend the zone of security and prescreen the greatest volume of maritime cargo destined to the United States. Our goal is to have 50 operational ports by the end of 2006,” CBP Commissioner Bonner announced. “Once CSI is implemented in 50 ports, approximately 90 percent of all transatlantic and transpacific cargo imported into the United States will be subjected to pre-screening.”

    Recently, the World Customs Organization (WCO) unanimously adopted a Framework of Standards to Secure Global Trade. The WCO Framework is based upon CSI principles and establishes a common set of standards to be implemented by 168 member states to secure international maritime cargo. Other international organizations have adopted resolutions to implement CSI security measures, including the European Union (EU), European Community (EC) and the G8.

    “The Container Security Initiative is the only formal program in operation today that is designed to detect and deter terrorists from exploiting the vulnerabilities of containerized maritime cargo,” said Bonner. “CSI is critical to securing global trade.”

    By identifying high-risk containers through an Automated Targeting System, requiring manifests 24 hours before departure, and applying advanced radiation detection and large-scale imaging technology to perform security inspections of high-risk containers abroad, CBP is taking unprecedented steps to secure international maritime trade destined for the United States.

ACE Arizona launch

    With the successful deployment of the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) at Nogales, Ari. in late July, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced the completion of ACE installations at five ports along the Arizona border.

    “This is our first installation of ACE along the southern border,” said CBP Modernization Office Executive Director Louis Samenfink. “Arizona was an important test case – ACE now bridges north and south, bringing us one step closer to a nationwide system to enhance border security and facilitate legitimate trade.”

    Throughout July, ACE was launched at ports in Douglas, Lukeville, Naco, Sasabe, and Nogales, Ariz. In the next few months, ACE is scheduled to be deployed at ports near select hub cities, including Pembina, N.D., and Detroit, Mich.

    A pilot of the ACE Secure Data Portal and the first ever electronic manifest (e-Manifest) capability for trucks was completed in Blaine, Wash. on April 14, 2005, clearing the way for ACE to be rolled out to additional ports. The ports at Sumas, Lynden, Point Roberts, and in the Oroville area in Washington, were launched this spring. With the completion of the Arizona installations, more than 15 ports have been transitioned to ACE since the Blaine pilot was initiated in December 2004.

Periodic payments hit billion dollar mark

    Payments of duties and fees through the ACE monthly statement and payment capability topped $1 billion in July, as CBP celebrated the first anniversary of the first monthly account statements issued July 15, 2004.

    “Account-based processing allows CBP to more efficiently focus its efforts on enhanced border security, while benefiting the trade community with expedited payment processing,” said Bonner.

    With ACE participation, duties and fees no longer have to be paid on a transaction-per-transaction basis, and companies can more easily track their activities through customized account views and reports that better meet their business needs.

    The periodic monthly statement feature simplifies the processing of duties and fees for importers and brokers with ACE accounts. Periodic monthly statements obtained through the ACE Secure Data Portal can streamline accounting and report processing and provide the capability to make periodic payments on an interest-free monthly basis.

    Trade account users mark the entries they wish to be paid on the statement and then submit payments through Automated Clearing House processing. Trade account users have the ability to pay for shipments released during the previous calendar month by the 15th working day of the following month, providing a potentially significant cash flow advantage.

    The periodic payment process has also been simplified with the recent elimination of the bond rider requirement for importers. Previously, importers were required to complete and submit a bond rider with the estimated duties and fees at the port where the original bond was filed.  For more information on elimination of the bond rider, check the Modernization Web Site at: www.cbp.gov/modernization, under the ACE Federal Register Notices page. To date more than 3,600 statements have been created using the monthly statement feature, and more than 246,000 entries have been submitted for payment. Nearly 700 importers, brokers, and carriers have established ACE accounts.