CBP Says M1 Testing with Coast Guard a Success

CBP said the joint pilot conducted with the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) to test the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) e-Manifest: Rail and Sea (M1) functionality was a success. The Coast Guard became the first Participating Government Agency (PGA) to successfully navigate ACE M1 in production during a series of operational trials in May piloted in Charleston, SC, said CBP. The trials will result in better targeting capability of high risk cargo, improved communication to the trade community, and greater border security.

The M1 functionality provides a consolidated view of rail and sea shipment manifest and entry data at the bill of lading or container level to facilitate the identification of shipments that may pose a risk and expedite the pre-arrival processing of legitimate cargo. The pilot was of substantial operational significance to the Coast Guard, said CBP. The new capability will automate a heretofore manual system allowing interface with ACE data as well as communication with the trade at the same time.

The Coast Guard found that they could use ACE to identify vessels, bills of lading and containers arriving in the port of Charleston, place cargo holds, and align that information with Coast Guard sources to allow for identification of targets and review of detailed trade information, said CBP. CBP and USCG worked together to prove that through M1, PGA users can automate a manual process, increase efficiencies, improve targeting, and maximize resources, they said.

The trade community’s participation was also important to the success of the test, said CBP Ocean carriers and government counterparts successfully verified that they could receive and read the Coast Guard-generated ACE notifications and updates on their respective ACE-connected systems. Trade participants included ocean carriers Orient Overseas Container Line, Maersk and APL.

(See ITT's Online Archives 12032821 for summary of CBP's plans to require ACE M1 use for e-Manifest filing).