CBP Says Trade Should Prepare to Transition ACS/AMS Functionality to ACE M1
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a notice stating that if Ocean Manifest Users are not yet filing their ocean manifest data via ACE e-Manifest: Rail and Sea, nor testing to become certified, it's now time to take action.
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(See ITT's Online Archives 12031622 for summary of CBP announcing the mandatory programming changes for when ABI In-Bond transactions and other ABI applications will be transitioned to ACE as part of the ACE M1 Ocean and Rail Deployment.)
ACS/AMS EDI Ocean Manifest Functionality to Transition to ACE M1 in 6 Months
In approximately six months ACS/AMS EDI Ocean Manifest functionality will be transitioned to ACE as part of the ACE M1 Ocean and Rail Deployment. When this transition takes place, Ocean Manifest users will no longer be able to transmit or receive data via ACS/AMS. Programming changes to comply with the modified record formats must be made in order to continue filing manifests electronically.
CBP notes that this deployment impacts not only MVOCCs (Master Vessel Operating Common Carriers) but also NVOCCs (Non-Vessel-Operating Common Carriers), terminal operators, port authorities, and other entities who receive secondary party notifications. If a company is doing business with others who may be impacted by these changes, CBP asks the company to direct the others to this message.
The ACE Ocean Manifest Implementation Guidelines for CAMIR and X12 can be found here. CBP asks Ocean Manifest users to review these guidelines and program accordingly.
Additional information on the ACE M1 deployment, including specific record changes, can be found here.
ACE Certification Testing Environment Now Available for Trade Software Testing
The ACE Certification testing environment is now available for trade software testing. CBP asks Ocean Manifest users to contact their Client Representative to begin testing.
Software Changes Must Be Done Before ACS/AMS Functionality Ended
In the near future, CBP plans to announce via a Federal Register Notice targeted for March 2012 publication, that ACE will be the only CBP-approved electronic data interchange (EDI) through which rail and sea manifests may be transmitted. This Federal Register Notice will announce a six month time frame for the transition to ACE and the decommissioning of ACS/AMS Ocean/Rail Manifest and related functionality. The six month time frame will commence from the date of publication of the notice.
CBP notes that all software changes must be made before the time frame specified in the upcoming Federal Register Notice.
CBP Encourages Rail and Sea Carriers to Apply for an ACE Portal Account
CBP encourages all rail and sea carriers to apply for a free ACE Portal Account now. The ACE Portal Application is available on-line and may be submitted electronically. The online application is available here.
Questions related to ACE Portal Applications may be submitted to CBP at CBPCSPO@dhs.gov.
CSMS Will Be Primary Means of Communicating with Trade
The Cargo System Messaging Service (CSMS) will be the primary means of communicating with the trade community on the ACE M1 deployment. Additional information related to these programming changes can be found in the following CSMS messages:
- CSMS 11-000261 - Discontinued Use of CAMIR K01 (Edit) Record (here)
- CSMS 11-000268 - Changes to CAMIR of ACE Ocean Manifest (here)
- CSMS 11-000304 - Updates to CAMIR and X12 Sea and Rail IGs (here)
- CSMS 11-000308 - Information on ACE e-Manifest: Rail and Sea (here)
- CSMS 12-000001 - New Arrival Functionality in ACE M1 (here)
Contact your assigned Client Representative to obtain the testing procedures and test guide. See here on how to subscribe to the CSMS.