Diverted US-bound cargo from Canada faces unexpected US customs hassle
Time：2014-08-14
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DP World Vancouver, which operates the Centerm in Vancouver, British Columbia, said it would not longer discharge of US bound intermodal rail cargo, reported American Shipper.
"DP World Vancouver is still experiencing an extremely high discharge volume of US cargoes. This, combined with a Canadian cargo increase and rail car supply that does not meet the discharging volumes" led to the restrictions, the company explained in a letter to customers.
"To date, we have over 78,000 feet of rail cargo on the facility. This is an increase of 20,000 feet over the same day last week, with roughly 50,000 feet of US traffic," it said.
Vancouver and Prince Rupert, farther of the coast, as well as US east coast, have had increases in container cargo because of cargo being diverted from US west coast ports while contract negotiations continue.
But Vancouver`s largest terminal operator, Global Container Terminals and its unit Terminal Systems, Inc, said its Deltaport and Vanterm container facilities in Port Metro Vancouver will continue to provide terminal services connecting cargo for rail bound for the US
But the American Journal of Transportation reports that such cargo faces new bureaucratic difficulties at the hands of US Customs.
Since the cargo was not first bound for the US, but Canada, it was not subject to US importer security filing (ISF) requirements.
But now that it is going directly to US ports it will be required to submit ISFs "prior to US Customs and Border Protection accepting entries and allowing release".