Piling On: New Trade Data Requirements

By Tom Travis of Entrepreneur.com



U.S. importers already contending with one of the most severe economic downturns of the past century will face yet another challenge beginning in late January, when new regulations requiring additional information about shipments entering the U.S. by ship kick in.

The government sees the rules as a critical part of its ongoing efforts to improve the security of international supply chains and therefore worth the increased costs that will be borne by importers, retailers and ultimately consumers.

Officials have also cast the rules as a much less onerous alternative to 100% scanning of all imported goods, which current law requires but the Department of Homeland Security is actively fighting.

In late November, U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued its importer security filing rule, also known as "10 plus 2," which had been in the works for nearly a year. Under this rule, companies importing goods into the U.S., and the ship lines carrying those products, will have to provide customs with a range of additional cargo and shipment information beginning Jan. 26, 2009.

Importers -- and this designation can include the owner, purchaser, consignee, customs broker or even the carrier -- will be responsible for 10 data elements, including information that identifies the manufacturer, supplier, seller, buyer and consignee; the country of origin and tariff classification number; where and by whom the goods were stuffed into the container; and the party responsible for compliance with applicable import requirements.

Less information will be required for goods remaining on the ship or transiting the U.S. to another country. Cargo ships will have to submit a vessel stow plan, which details where a shipment is physically on the vessel, and certain messages about the status of the containers on board.