Upon importation of merchandise, an importer assumes certain responsibilities to the U.S. Customs: making the goods available for inspection; labeling and packaging requirements; making records of transactions available for inspection; paying estimated, or any additional duties when and where applicable. U.S. Customs is authorized to take bonds to assure the performance of the responsibilities by…
Every shipping vessel that enters and leaves the United States is required to submit shipping records that document its cargo. This information filed to Customs is called “Automated Manifest System”. Thanks to the Freedom of Information Act, most of this information is a matter of public record. Sites such as www.piers.com, www.zepol.com and www.importgenius.com retrieve…
Duties and taxes traditionally must be paid to US Customs within 10 working days of the Customs release date. Most importers are not aware of the Periodic Monthly Statement (PMS) program, which allows payment of duty and taxes up to 57 days from the release date. An ACH account in conjunction with PMS permits duty…
Shipping goods in bulk across oceans sounds like a daunting task. However, if you’re able to find the right logistics partner, it should be a seamless and simple process. Importing goods from one country to another require two types of services: 1) Freight Forwarding and 2) Customs Clearance. Here’s a quick overview of what these…
You’ve placed an order with your manufacturer, but who is responsible for picking up the goods? Shipping terms, aka incoterms, determine who arranges and pays for freight and Customs fees. There is no standard or governing body that regulates shipping terms, so its important you clarify who is responsibility for fees with your supplier. Here…
One of the most impactful and unpredictable variables in logistics costs are Customs examination fees. Customs and other government agencies do not publicly disclose exactly how they determine cargo is flagged for exam, but we’ve been able to gather the following: An importer’s track record matters. New importers are more susceptible to exams If an importer…
Container Freight Station (CFS) warehouses are bonded facilities that act as temporary storage for goods that are entering and leaving the country. They should be distinguished from Free Trade Zone (FTZ) warehouses that allow for long term storage of goods in transit. CFS warehouses serve an important role in both air and ocean freight. …
