The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is continuing its efforts to incorporate the US Virgin Islands into the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) to expedite the cargo importation process.
At a meeting in Washington D.C. last week, CBP officials updated the US Virgin Islands trade community on the implementation of the cargo automation initiatives that began two years ago. Implementation of the cargo automation initiatives was disrupted by hurricanes Irma and Maria that hit in 2017. Currently, the USVI Cargo Office facility remains closed.
“Only through a continued commitment to a collaborative approach with the local trade community will we truly accomplish our automation objectives” Todd Bellew, area port director for the US Virgin Islands, said.
At the meeting, members of the entry specialist team gave a live demonstration of the electronic submission process using ACE. The ACE is the system through which the trade community reports imports and exports and the government determines admissibility.
CBP Agriculture Specialist Carmen Rodriguez also advised stakeholders on how to clear imported shipments efficiently by using the APHIS Fruits and Vegetables Import Requirements (FAVIR) database. The database allows customers to search for fruits and vegetables by commodity or country, providing an easy way for users to determine basic entry requirements for their specific products.
Source: homelandprepnews.com
