Customs testing ACE at ID/MT borders

Feb. 16, 2007
The Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has announced a group of Idaho and Montana land border ports involved in testing electronic manifests through the ACE Truck Manifest System

The Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has announced a group of Idaho and Montana land border ports involved in testing electronic manifests through the ACE Truck Manifest System, according to a notice published in the Federal Register February 14. The ports that will be included in the testing procedures 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.

This deployment is for purposes of the test of the transmission of automated truck manifest data only. The ACE Truck Manifest System is not yet the mandated transmission system for these ports. The system will become the mandatory transmission system in these ports only after publication in the Federal Register.

However, 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 announcing the tests for other ports in North Dakota, including St John, Dunseith, Carbury, Westhope, Antler, Sherwood, Northgate, Portal, Noonan, Ambrose, and Fortuna.

Pursuant to section 343(a) of the Trade Act of 2002 and implementing regulations, truck carriers and other eligible parties are required to transmit advance electronic truck cargo information to the CBP through a CBP-approved electronic data interchange. ACE will be phased in as the mandatory transmission system for the other ports, also following publication of 90 days notice in the Federal Register for each group of ports.

Other ports designated to fall under the regulation include:

•All ports of entry in the state of New York and Michigan.

•All ports of entry in the states of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

•All ports of entry in the state of Alaska.