On September 11, 2018, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued Cargo Systems Messaging Service (CSMS) #18-000526, providing guidance for port operations in anticipation of vessel or cargo diversions due to Hurricane Florence.
Per the CSMS, a hurricane warning is in effect for the Carolinas, Virginia, and Maryland. Owners or agents of a vessel requesting a diversion , “…shall immediately give notice of the diversion to the port that granted the permit or clearance, identifying the new destination of the vessel.”
The CSMS also contains procedures for ACE Cargo Release. In the case that the Port of Entry (POE) is transmitted by the filer, including:
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If the bill of lading has not been arrived, the filer may update the POE on the entry or remove it from the transaction;
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The filer must make the POE update before the release can occur for the new port;
CBP has also provided procedures for cases wherein the POE is not provided on the entry by the filer.
CBP advises, “All diverted cargo is subject to normal CBP processes, including targeting, enforcement examination and large-scale non-intrusive inspection at the actual port of discharge.”
CSMS #18-000526 may be found here:
