AIR CARGO ADVANCE SCREENING (ACAS) UPDATE
On Tuesday, June 12, 2018 US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued Federal Register Notice (FRN) Document Number: 2018-12315 Titled – Air Cargo Advance Screening (ACAS).
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2018-06-12/pdf/2018-12315.pdf
https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/national-media-release/air-cargo-advance-screening-program-goes-effect
On the same date the US Transportation Security Administration issued security information directly to air carriers as well.
This has caused some confusion to the air cargo community regarding the timelines for implementation. The FRN indicates that the ACAS requirements were effective as of June 12, 2018, however we understand that CBP will refrain from enforce-ment so long as carriers are making good faith efforts to become operational.
Our understanding is that the parallel requirements of the TSA will follow the same guidelines as CBP, therefore carriers and other ACAS filers will be working with CBP and the National Targeting Center for Cargo to achieve full operational status prior to July 11, 2019.
What to do for now?
If you are a forwarder currently participating in the ACAS pilot directly, or if you currently transmit your data to a carrier, please continue to do so, with an increased focus on accuracy, completeness and timeliness of the data.
If you are a forwarder and do not transmit your data to carriers today, you are not likely to see an immediate impact during the 12 month implementation of ACAS. However it is important to keep in mind that the risk of delay to your cargo will in-crease in the coming months as ACAS is fully implemented. For this reason you should consider looking into the electronic transmission of data to your carrier.
If you are an air carrier, you should contact your CBP assigned client representative for further information on the official ACAS onboarding process.
Air Cargo Advance Screening (ACAS) will move from pilot stage to mandatory filing
For further information contact: Craig Clark, Cargo and Conveyance Security, Office of Field Operations, U.S. Customs & Border Protection, via e-mail at craig.clark@cbp.dhs.gov
