Yes, the fever is spreading! The need to report to your country's customs organization about the details surrounding a shipment of cargo coming in on the water continues to spread. Customs Reporting, Cargo Reporting, Automated Manifest Reporting, Import Security Filing, Automated Commercial Reporting, Advance Cargo Reporting Information, all these terms have been used in countries such as the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, China, Euro Zone and now....JAPAN!
In March of 2014, it will be MANDATORY to file your cargo information destined to Japan at least 24 hours prior to vessel loading at the last foreign load port. But, the ability to do this is NOW.
Globally, Japan imports are #3 on the list of the worlds Imports...behind the US and China. Yet, Japan imports less than half of what is imported into the US.
Cargo security benefits all citizens, both on the export side and the import side. Exports from the US to Japan are 4th among the top receiver of US Goods. This is a market that is increasing by 5% - 7% a year. But, the trade deficit with Japan is still upside down, where we of course, import more than we export with Japan.
None of this matters to the security community. The job of Customs and homeland security is to ensure that the respective citizens of a country are safe. Advanced reporting of cargo information makes a country safer. It is still easy to put on paper different information than what you load in a "box", the fact that cargo informaiton is sent in advance, gives the receiving countries more technologically advanced mechanisms to identify potential risks and stop things at origin, rather than let them travel to destination.
The advance cargo reporting requirements are similar to that of the US. Information at the BL level including contact addresses and phone numbers. There are requirements of detailed cargo descriptions, based on HTSUS codes at the 6-digit level and the responsiblity of reporting the inbound cargo lies with the shipping company or NVOCC. This can be done with direct system link with Japan Customs or through a service provider/software provider approved to allow reporting.
So, over the next two years, please keep a look out for these requirements to come in place and if you are looking for a provider to report this information, please contact ARTEMUS at 866-744-7101 or information@artemus.us
Until next time, ARTEMUS OUT!
www.artemus.us
Discussion of international cargo transportation critical work processes, regulatory and trade compliance issues and overall best practice discussions, opinions and suggestions.
