CBP to Expand Air Cargo Advance Screening Pilot to More Int'l Sites Soon
On November 1, 2011, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Bersin met with members of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's national security task force to provide an update on CBP's efforts to modernize, streamline and strengthen its operations at ports of entry. Bersin also provided an update on the Air Cargo Advance Screening (ACAS) pilot, which he states CBP plans to expand to more international sites in the near future.
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Says Advance Info is Critical Securing Flows of Goods & People
Bersin stated that the old model of inspection at the U.S. border is outdated and insufficient in a post-9/11 world. CBP now looks at flows of people and goods, from before departure overseas through arrival. The information gathered on these flows enables informed decisions on admissibility, but also can be used to better accommodate faster, cheaper admission of cargo. Bersin noted that advance information is critical to securing these flows.
ACAS Pilot Will Be Expanded to More International Sites in Near Future
Bersin gave an update on the Air Cargo Advance Screening (ACAS) system, a cargo security pilot that stemmed from an incident involving bombs hidden in printer cartridges by al Qaeda operatives and sent to the U.S. via overnight shippers UPS and FedEx. As part of the ACAS system, overnight shippers provide advance information to CBP about cargo shipments before they leave overseas facilities. CBP, working with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), analyzes these packages and compares them across a wide array of databases.
He stated that the ACAS pilot has already screened more than 2 million packages in its early phase and stated that CBP will expand the ACAS to more international sites in the near future.
Bersin Asks Private Sector Support as U.S. Modernizes Customs Operations
The ACAS pilot was created as a public-private collaboration, not a government-conceived program requiring private participation. Bersin stated that CBP and representatives of express carriers were able to share details on their operations. The partnership was able to devise and launch within six months a successful pilot that is meeting the needs of both entities. Bersin asked for a similar partnership and level of support from the U.S. Chamber and private sector as the U.S. undertakes modernization of overall customs operations.
(See ITT's Online Archives 11101314 for summary of CBP officials stating that it has begun drafting a strategic plan with TSA to move ACAS from the pilot to regulations.)