CBP to Implement ACE Truck Manifest at Ports in Geographic Clusters (Once Blaine Pilot is Complete)
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has posted to its Web site the March 2005 issue of its U.S. Customs and Border Protection Modernization newsletter which discusses, among other things, CBP's plan to launch (i.e., implement) the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Release 4 (Truck Manifest) at ports in geographic clusters, starting with the Blaine cluster.
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Upon completion of pilot in Blaine, ACE Release 4 (Truck Manifest) expected to be implemented in Blaine cluster. CBP states that ACE Release 4 (Truck Manifest) is currently being designed (i.e., tested) at the port of Blaine, WA. CBP and CBP sources state that upon successful completion of the pilot in Blaine, ACE Release 4 is expected to be implemented in neighboring ports in the April/May 2005 time frame.
(On January 31, 2005, CBP reinstated the ACE Release 4 (Truck Manifest) pilot in Blaine after it was shut down on January 3, 2005. See ITT's Online Archives or 01/31/05 and 02/03/05 news, 05013100 and 05020325 1, for BP summaries.
CBP sources state that the ACE Release 4 pilot in Blaine was then shut down at least once more, and most recently resumed operation on April 5, 2005.)
Next stage of ACE Release 4 (Truck Manifest) implementation calls for launch at another port cluster. According to CBP, the next stage of ACE Release 4 (Truck Manifest) implementation will call for another initial port to be launched in a given region, followed soon thereafter by deployment to the ports clustering nearby.
Goal is to implement ACE Release 4 (Truck Manifest) in one-third of U.S. land border ports within six months. According to CBP sources, CBP's goal is to implement ACE Release 4 (Truck Manifest) in one-third of U.S. land border ports within six months. CBP sources state that following the Blaine cluster, ACE Release 4 is intended to be implemented in port clusters in Arizona, North Dakota, Vermont, Texas, and Detroit Ambassador Bridge by early September 2005.
More than 450 importer, broker, & carrier ACE accounts. CBP notes that there are currently more than 450 importer, broker, and carrier ACE accounts.
CBP has previously stated that this test of ACE Release 4 involves allowing participating truck carrier accounts to transmit electronic manifest data in ACE (including advance cargo information as required by Section 343 of the Trade Act of 2002, as amended by the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 (MTSA)).
CBP has also previously stated that truck carrier accounts that are participating in this test have the ability to electronically transmit truck manifest data and obtain release of their cargo, crew, conveyances, and equipment via the ACE Secure Data Portal or electronic data interchange (EDI) messaging. (See ITT's Online Archives or 09/14/04 and 09/15/04 news, 04091410 and 04091515, for BP summaries on CBP's announcement of this test.)
In its March 2005 Modernization newsletter, CBP additionally notes that several companies have been certified to submit e-Manifests via EDI, including: Celadon Trucking Services, UPS, and ABF Freight System, Inc.
(See ITT's Online Archives or 02/02/05 news, 05020205, for BP summary of CBP's notice announcing that C-TPAT participation is no longer required to establish an ACE account or participate in any ACE test.)
CBP's March 2005 Modernization newsletter available at http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/toolbox/about/modernization/finalnews0305.ctt/finalnews0305.pdf