The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Agency has announced plans for new rules which will require cargo information for security purposes to be transmitted to the agency at least 24 hours before goods are loaded on an ocean vessel for shipment to the U.S. The so called “10+2” or Security Filing requirement is pursuant to section 203 of the SAFE Port Act. 

The following are the ten data elements that CBP has proposed to be transmitted in advance of vessel loading:

• Manufacturer’s name and address
• Seller’s name and address
• Consolidator’s name and address
• Container stuffing location (Address at which goods loaded into a container)
• Buyer’s name and address (Last named buyer)
• Ship to name and address (Party physically receiving the goods)
• Importer of record’s number
• Consignee’s number
• Country of origin
• Harmonized tariff schedule number (to the 6th digit)

CBP also wants two additional elements to be provided, most likely by the ocean carrier, at least 48 hours after departure from the last foreign port (or prior to arrival for voyages less than 48 hours in duration).

• Vessel stow plan
• Container status message

The challenge of the proposed CBP’s Importer Security Filing is the compilation of various kinds of data from the multiple parties involved in an import transaction.  The Integration Point® web-based architecture and transactional processing design is ideal to address this challenge and facilitate a successful filing strategy for the importer.

Integration Point takes electronic data from any supply chain partner able to send it, maps it to the requested data elements, and then provides the filer with a tool to fill in the blanks, if there are any.  When combined with tools such as Global Classification, the Integration Point 10+2 product will make it possible for the importer (who is ultimately responsible for the filing) to either do it themselves or trust that a 3rd party filer will submit the appropriate product information with the shipping information they have traditionally owned.