Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

Ref : EIC 191/2

28 October 2003

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 264/2003

Canada :Advance Electronic Filing of Marine Cargo Information

As foreshadowed in Commercial Information Circulars Nos. 169/2003 and No. 198/2003 dated 17 June 2003 and 23 July 2003 respectively, the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (CCRA) proposed to implement the rule on 24-hour advance electronic filing of cargo in April 2004. CCRA issued a Customs Notice on 7 October 2003 to promulgate the details of the Advance Commercial Information (ACI) initiative. Highlights of ACI are set out in the following paragraphs. A copy of the Customs Notice is appended (pdf format) to this circular for reference.

DETAILS

The implementation of ACI for different modes of transportation will be implemented in phases beginning with the marine mode on 19 April 2004. Implementation schedule for rail, air and highway will be announced later in separate Customs Notice. Under ACI, carriers and freight forwarders will report cargo and conveyance data electronically within established timeframes in advance of the arrival of cargo and conveyance in Canada to enable CCRA to identify goods of unknown or high risk. The requirement for presentation of paper marine primary cargo and conveyance reporting documents for imports and in-transit shipments will be eliminated. Failure to comply with the advance notification requirements under ACI may result in penalties and sanctions.

Marine Cargo Reporting

Marine carriers or their agents are required to transmit cargo and conveyance data in accordance with the specifications set out in the Participants Requirements Doucment (freight forwarders are also permitted to transmit certain electronic cargo information to CCRA). Copy of the Participants Requirements Document and further information about it can be obtained from CCRA through the Manager, Electronic Commerce Unit, 15/F, Sir Richard Scott Building, 191 Laurier Ave. W., Ottawa ON K1A 0L5 or by phone at 1-888-957-7224.
The cargo data should include complete and accurate description of goods. General descriptions such as "freight of all kinds", "general merchandise", "shipper's load and count", "said to contain" etc. will require more specific descriptions to be provided.
The timeframe for electronic submission of cargo data to CCRA, unless authorised otherwise, is as follows : -

For goods in a cargo container - at least 24 hours prior to lading the goods on board the vessel destined for Canada.

For bulk goods⁽¹⁾ - at least 24 hours prior to arrival in Canada.

For goods other than (i) and (ii) above - at least 24 hours prior to lading the goods on board the vessel destined for Canada.

Marine Conveyance Reporting

For all vessels bound for Canada, the conveyance data including details identifying the vessel, its capacities, and scheduling and routing information, must be transmitted electronically to CCRA in accordance with the following timeframe : -

For vessels transporting goods described in paragraphs 5(i) and (iii) above - within 24 hours of departure from the last foreign port of lading.

For vessels transporting goods described in paragraph 5(ii) above - at least 24 hours prior to the vessel's arrival in Canada.

In the case of combination of cargo - within the longest timeframe required for the goods transported.

ENQUIRIES

For enquiries concerning the content of this circular, please contact the undersigned at 2398 5682.

Yours faithfully,

(Miss Sofie Chow)

for Director-General of Trade and Industry

(1) Bulk goods means goods that are loose or in mass, such that they are confined only by the permanent structures of a large container or a transport unit, without intermediate containment or intermediate packaging.

Note : While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the above information, the Department cannot guarantee this to be so and will not be held liable for any reliance placed on the same.

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