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CBP Seeks Comments on Six Carrier Cargo Info Collections

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is requesting comments by January 24, 2012 on six existing carrier cargo information collections. CBP is proposing to extend the expiration date of these information collections with various changes to the estimated burden hours and response times.

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The six cargo information collections are:

Inward Cargo Declaration (CBP Form 1302) - form filed by the master or commander of a vessel arriving in the U.S. from abroad with cargo on board or submitted using a CBP-approved electronic equivalent.

Cargo Declaration Outward with Commercial Forms (CBP Form 1302A) -- filed by the master or commander of a vessel departing from the U.S. with copies of bills of lading or equivalent commercial documents relating to all cargo encompassed by the manifest.

Air Cargo Manifest (CBP Form 7509) -- two copies of form are filed by the aircraft commander or agent at the departure airport, or may be submitted using a CBP-approved electronic equivalent.

Inward Cargo Manifest for Vessel under Five Tons, Ferry, Train, Car, Vehicle, Etc. (CBP Form 7533) -- form required for a vehicle or vessel of less than 5 net tons arriving in the U.S. from Canada or Mexico, otherwise than by sea, with baggage or merchandise. Respondents may also submit the information using a CBP-approved electronic equivalent.

Vessel Stow Plan -- for all vessels transporting goods to the U.S., except for any vessel exclusively carrying bulk cargo, the incoming carrier is required to electronically submit a vessel stow plan no later than 48 hours after the vessel departs from the last foreign port. Note that the vessel stow plan is one of two 10+2 data elements that are submitted by carriers.

Container Status Messages -- for all containers destined to arrive within the limits of a U.S. port from a foreign port by vessel, the incoming carrier must submit messages regarding the status of events if the carrier creates or collects a container status message (CSM) in its equipment tracking system reporting that event. CSMs must be transmitted to CBP via a CBP-approved electronic data interchange system. Note that CSMs are the second of two 10+2 data elements that are submitted by carriers.

CBP Proposes to Revise Estimates for Burden Hours, Response Times, Etc.

CBP is proposing to revise its estimates of the burden hours and response times based on analysis of recent data as follows:

  • CBP Form 7509 -- the time per response was lowered from 34 minutes to 15 minutes
  • CBP Form 1302 -- the time per response was raised from 10 minutes to 30 minutes
  • Vessel Stow Plan -- the number of respondents was lowered from 440 to 163
  • Container Status Messages -- the number of respondents was lowered from 74 to 60 and the total number of responses was raised from 72,121,193 to 257,100,000.

Comments Requested on Ways to Minimize Burden, Etc.

CBP is asking for comments from the general public and other Federal agencies on (a) whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information has practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimates of the burden of the collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) ways to minimize the burden including the use of automated collection techniques or the use of other forms of information technology; and (e) the annual cost burden to respondents or record keepers from the collection of information (total capital/startup costs and operations and maintenance costs).

(This CBP notice also describes and asks for similar comments on the Importer Security Filing and Vessel Manifest Confidentiality information collections. See ITT’s Online Archives 11112341 for summary of the request for comments on the ISF and 11112903 for summary of request for comments on the Vessel Manifest Confidentiality request.)

CBP Contact -- Tracey Denning (202) 325-0265