Global Shipping Agencies
When dealing with global shipping agencies you will either be exporting or importing. When importing products into the United States the documentation and requirements that govern these shipments have become much more stringent than in the past. This is largely due to the current threatening conditions around the world.
In the past the broker only had to satisfy the requirements of the customs office and the correct international shipping agencies aboard. Now in the US, all global shipping agencies must conform to tighter rules put down by the the Department of Homeland Security along with the United States Customs and Border Protection Agency (a merger of Customs and the Border Patrol).
These law enforement agencies have greatly increased the accountability and traceability that is associated with any item that is imported into the country by any international shipping agencies. Such is the case in Europe and other areas of the globe as well. With every shipment the broker of a global shipping agency will have to supply an Entry / Immediate Delivery customs form and an Entry Summary customs form along with a bill of lading and a commercial invoice for the shipment in question.
As of early 2009 any ocean cargo imports are required to have an implements imported security filing form completed in advance of the shipment being made. This new requirement for global shipping agencies has been implemented by the CBP (US Customs and Border Protection). Their concerns relate to the stuffing or loading of containers for shipments coming into the United States. Often the global cargo shipper won't have the proper facilities to load a container at their location. The merchandise or product is then shipped to a container freight station for stuffing or loading into containers. Having the product or merchandise exchange several hands prior to loading is the concern.
Import officials want to prevent the possibility of any tampering of shippment or terrorist activity that previously might have gone by undetected with the use of some global shipping agencies. The implements imported security filing form will account for the products location and exposure from the time it leaves the international shipper until it is properly loaded and sealed into a container. The documentation must be filed with the Customs and Border Protection Agency 24 hours before the ship is scheduled to sail.
While this is still a new requirement for global shipping agencies and not yet strictly enforced the CBP will be monitoring the effectiveness of filing the implements imported security filing form in 2009. By January of 2010 it will be strictly enforced. The broker or consignee will be subject to fines or penalties if not compliant in 2010.
At that time the fines on international shipping agencies will be based on timeliness of filing, correctness and compliancy. Once the shipment has cleared customs, the broker will then schedule the transportation of the shipment to the consignee. This has to be done through a bonded trucking firm that has access to the port of entry. If the trucking firm is not bonded they won't be granted entry into the port.
Upon arrival at your location the truck driver will present you with a bill of lading. The bill of lading will reference a seal number along with the container identification number. You should check both these numbers before the seal is broken and removed from the container. This will assure that the cargo has not been tampered with. If everything matches then the freight can be unloaded. If there is any discrepancy the load should be refused and your international shipping broker notified immediately. Now that you know what to expect when using a global shipping agencies, you can make the right decisions for your importing or exporting.
