US Senate Bill Would Suspend 100% Scanning Deadline for Containers Shipping to America
The battle over 100 percent scanning of U.S. – bound ocean containers is taking another sharp turn in a partisan skirmish over maritime security.
A bill to reauthorize the 2006 SAFE Port Act includes a provision that would suspend the July 2012 deadline for scanning all containers before they board a U.S.-bound vessel. Its sponsors, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., authors of the original SAFE Port Act, filed a similar reauthorization last year, but it died at the end of the congressional session.
The SAFE Port Reauthorization Act also renews several familiar supply chain security programs, and extends the port security grant program.
Currently all traffic heading to the US has to be pre-manifested to allow it to be loaded onto the container vessel 48 hours before the vessel is due to arrive into the UK port. If we fail to notify the shipping line of the contents and container details then US Customs Officials based in the UK will impose the cut off and stop the container making the intended vessel.
For more information on shipping to America and the challenges encountered since the fateful day in 2011, please call your move coordinator, email shipping@abels.co.uk or call the main number and you will be put through to a colleague to discuss your queries +44 1842 816600.