New Customs Rules Affect Furniture Importers

Furniture World Magazine

According to LTD Shippers Association (tomltd@aol.com), as part of the Homeland Security effort as a result of 911, US Customs has implemented new rules which will affect your suppliers and you. The rules took effect December 2 with full implementation February 1, 2003. Briefly, here are highlights— Carriersmust advise US Customs of the vessel manifest 24 hours before ship loading at each port. It is the 24 hour Advance Manifest Rule. Carriers, to be able to comply with and prepare the manifest, are requiring shippers (and NVO’s if that is who the shipper is) to have the loaded container and documentation to them 48 to 72 hours in advance of that. For some ports, it may be 96 hours in advance. That means suppliers must finish orders and prepare the shipment and documentation earlier than many are used to doing. Shippers must provide full shipment details, their name and address, consignee name and address and product information, preferably the HTS (harmonized tariff system) number (at least 6 of the 10 digits) and description. Product description and shipping description are nota cceptable. Security is the issue, not commerce. US Customs will advise carriers if there are shipments that they cannot load on to the ship. Incorrect information or amended documentation may cause a shipment to be put on hold and denied to be loaded. There are details to be worked out as it is implemented fully. Get to your suppliers now. This effort could have a major impact on suppliers and on NVOs. It may also affect terms of sale and letters of credit. Some estimates say these procedures will add 4 days of inventory to supply chains. LTD is working on the use of technology to comply with these rules and to limit the impact on the flow of containers for our members. Please click here on SHIELD for more information. Note this is for information purposes only and is not intended to present the complete situation with regards to the regulations. Please go tothe U.S. Customs web site to get information at http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/