CBP Expands Pre-Departure ACE Export Manifest Filing Tests; Some Data Elements Now Optional

August 11, 2017 |Top News

CBP will open its tests of pre-departure manifest filing for exports within ACE to more participants, it said in three separate notices. The notices for vessel cargo, rail cargo and air cargo all allow for an expansion of the tests that began in 2015 (see 1507090011, 1508190007 and 1509080017). Previously limited to nine participants, each of the tests is "now open to all eligible applicants," CBP said. The agency also made some of the previously required data elements optional for each mode.

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CBP plans "to accept all new eligible applicants on a first come first serve basis," it said. "If the number of eligible applicants exceeds CBP’s administrative capabilities, CBP reserves the right to select eligible participants in order to achieve a diverse participant pool." The eligibility requirements remain the same as when the tests began, CBP said. The agency also extended the testing period, which will now run until Aug. 10, 2018, for air cargo, Sept. 21, 2018, for vessel cargo and Oct. 9, 2018, for rail cargo. Pre-departure electronic manifest filing requirements are expected to make life easier for exporters with consolidated shipments, a CBP official said last year (see 1612050063).

Under the test, the export manifests are required two hours prior to loading for rail cargo, four hours for air cargo and 24 hours for vessel cargo. After evaluating the first phase of the tests and based on consultations with the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee, CBP decided to make some data optional or conditional, rather than mandatory, the agency said.

Now optional or conditional for pre-departure rail cargo manifests are:

Mode of Transportation (Rail, containerized or Rail, non-containerized) (Data Element #1)
Place where the carrier took possession (Data Element #14)
Country of Ultimate Destination (Data Element #16)
Equipment Type Code (Data Element #17)
Number of House Bills of Lading (Data Element #22)
Split Shipment Indicator (Data Element #29)
Portion of Split Shipment (Data Element #30)
Mexican Pedimento Number (Data Element #32)
Marks and Numbers (Data Element #10) (Conditional).

Now optional for pre-departure vessel cargo manifests are:

Name of the Master (Data Element #4)
Number of House Bills of Lading (Data Element #9)
Split Shipment Indicator (Data Element #22)
Portion of Split Shipments (Data Element #23)

Now optional for pre-departure air cargo manifests are:

Number of pieces/unit of measure (Data Element #11)
Number of house air waybills (Data Element #13)
Split air waybill indicator (Data Element #18)
In-bond number (Data Element #21)
Mode of transportation (Data Element #22)

(Federal Register 08/14/2017)