In a Cargo Systems Messaging Service (CSMS) bulletin published on April 11, 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) provided an update and clarification on its cargo messaging for shipments with vague cargo descriptions.

In this update, CBP provides an example of what the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Cargo Release message will look like, CBP’s expectations for resolving these messages, and a list of unacceptable cargo descriptions.

This cargo messaging went into effect on April 1, 2024.

CSMS # 60144714 Can be found here:
https://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/USDHSCBP-395bc4a?wgt_ref=USDHSCBP_WIDGET_2

The original Newsflash on this topic can be found here:
https://info.expeditors.com/newsflash/cbp-implements-cargo-messaging-for-vague-cargo-descriptions

The list of unacceptable cargo descriptions can be found here:
https://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/USDHSCBP-395bc4a?wgt_ref=USDHSCBP_WIDGET_2