Anti-Terrorism Cargo Rules Set To Take Effect

ByJohn S. McClenahen By Dec. 5, about two months later than originally anticipated, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is expected to publish in the Federal Register new anti-terrorism cargo security rules that will affect manufacturers. The rules, covering the flow of goods in and out of the U.S. by air, rail, ship and truck, will require that manifest information be provided to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) before shipments cross U.S. borders. The rules also will require that the information be filed electronically. Advance filing timelines vary by mode of transport and whether the shipments are inbound to the U.S. or outbound from the country. For example, information on cargo coming to the U.S. by ship must be received 24 hours prior to lading at a foreign port, while information on goods being carried out of the U.S. by truck must be received one hour prior to the truck's arrival at the border. "I expect that there will be almost immediate compliance with these regulations for ocean-going container shipments to the United States, but we are going to be working with the trade in all modes to make sure that they are capable of complying as rapidly as possible. And that's going to take place over the next several months," says Robert C. Bonner, commissioner of CBP, an agency within the Department of Homeland Security.