Electronic presentation of cargo information will be required to be transmitted through ACE truck manifests at ports of entry in New Hampshire and Maine, according to a notice published in the Federal Register March 26. The testing began in those states March 19.
Pursuant to section 343(a) of the Trade Act of 2002 and implementing regulations, carriers and other eligible parties are required to transmit advance electronic cargo information to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) through a CBP-approved electronic data interchange.
ACE (Automated Commercial Environment) will be phased in as the mandatory transmission system for other ports, following publication of 90 days notice in the Federal Register for each group of ports.
Trucks entering the United States through land border ports of entry in the states of California, Texas, and New Mexico will be required to transmit the advance information through the ACE Truck Manifest system effective April 19, 2007, according to earlier publications.
Trucks entering the United States through all ports of entry in the states of Washington and Arizona, and through the ports of Pembina, Neche, Walhalla, Maida, Hannah, Sarles, and Hansboro in North Dakota were required to transmit the advance information through the ACE system, effective January 25, 2007.
CBP also published a notice February 5 that announced ACE testing for other ports in North Dakota, including St John, Dunseith, Carbury, Westhope, Antler, Sherwood, Northgate, Portal, Noonan, Ambrose, and Fortuna.
On February 14, ports in Idaho and Montana were added to the test list. They include Eastport and Porthill ID. Those in Montana are Roosville, Whitlash, Del Bonita, Wildhorse, Sweetgrass, Piegan, Willow Creek, Turner, Morgan, Scobey, Opheim, Raymond, and Whitetail. On February 23, the ports of Michigan and New York were included.
The remaining ports at which the mandatory use of ACE will be phased in include:
•The remaining land border ports in the state of North Dakota and all land border ports in the state of Vermont.
•All land border ports in the states of Idaho and Montana.
•All land border ports in the state Minnesota.
•All land border ports in the state of Alaska.