ACI eManifest Takes Effect Nov 1 - How Will This Impact You At The Border?
"The ACI eManifest program is about providing Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers with electronic pre-arrival cargo and conveyance information so that they have access to the right information at the right time to identify health, safety and security threats related to commercial goods before the goods arrive in Canada."
The above statement is the introduction on CBSA's literature regarding the rapidly approaching implementation of the third phase of the ACI program. It sums up what the agency is trying to accomplish in one neat, tidy paragraph - but what does that mean to you as a carrier?
What it means in layman's terms is that the CBSA wants to know everything they can about your truck and everything that is on it. Most importantly, they need this information at least one hour prior to arrival at the First Port Of Arrival (FPOA).
Cargo Transmission
The shipment related information is referred to as the Cargo Transmission and includes, but is not limited to, the following elements:
- A Cargo Control Number (CCN) that begins with the carriers' 4-character, CBSA assigned carrier code followed by a unique reference number that is assigned by the carrier or their service provider.
- Port of report and port of destination
- A detailed description of the goods
- Shipper and consignee name and address
It is important to note that a Cargo Transmission must be submitted for each shipment on the truck.
Conveyance Transmission
The truck related information is referred to as the Conveyance Transmission and includes, but is not limited to, the following elements:
- A Conveyance Reference Number (CRN) that begins with the carrier's 4 characters, CBSA assigned carrier code followed by a unique reference number that is assigned by the carrier or their service provider.
- The port code of the first port of arrival where the conveyance is destined to cross into Canada
- An estimated time of arrival at the first port of arrival, which must be as accurate as possible
- The Cargo Control Number of all related cargo submissions
5 Different Ways You Can Submit This Information To CBSA:
- Customs Internet Gateway
- Direct Connect to CBSA
- eManifest Portal
- Third Party Service Provider
- VAN (Value Added Network)
There are pros and cons to each of these reporting methods, but regardless of which method you decide to use to transmit to CBSA, you MUST be ready to begin no later than November 1, 2012. Carriers that arrive at the border without having previously submitted this data will be denied entry to Canada.
It is important to note that when U. S. Customs and Border Protection implemented their ACE e-manifest program in 2007, it resulted in significant delays at the border and a logjam of carriers who had waited too long to register. Please do not wait until the last minute to prepare for this. November 1, 2012 is right around the corner.
To learn more on how you can prepare, register for the ACI eManifest Session offered by Pacific Customs Brokers on Thursday, September 26. There will be two session times to choose from (10:00 am to 11:30 am and 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm). If you would like more information, please call Pacific Customs Brokers at 888.538.1566.
5 Frequently Asked Questions About ACI eManifest | Part 3
