CBP Launches CSMS - A New Information System (to Replace ABI Messages, Etc. Effective February 11th)

Called the Cargo Systems Messaging Service (CSMS), it will be the official communication service between CBP and the trade community.

CBP has also issued an ABI administrative message stating that the CSMS will include administrative messages that have been issued via the Automated Broker Interface (application identifier MR).

ABI Administrative Messages to be Discontinued Effective February 11, 2008

The only automated commercial system prior to CSMS with an administrative messaging capability has been ABI. With CSMS, CBP will offer a broadcast mechanism for other commercial systems, such as ocean/rail manifest, air manifest and electronic truck manifest.

Beginning Monday, February 11, 2008, no new administrative messages will be issued via ABI application identifier MR, nor will ABI accept an administrative message query via application MI.

Messages issued under the ABI Administrative Message system will be converted to CSMS as of February 11, 2008. (According to the ABI administrative message, CBP has converted all the significant administrative messages previously issued via ABI.¹)

CSMS to Provide Two Ways for Trade to Obtain Automated System Information

CSMS will function as both a database and as an email list serve, as follows:

cbp.gov. information such as Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) and Automated Commercial System (ACS) system messages will be able to be retrieved via a database linked to www.cbp.gov based on combination of keywords and filtering. All messages that have been issued will also be able to be viewed; and

email. an email list serve, will allow CBP to broadcast messages not only to ABI users, but to users of all CBP automated commercial systems, such as ACE and ACS.

To receive email, a subscriber profile must be created which is password protected. A subscriber may elect to subscribe to as many of the subject areas as they choose.

(Note that if a person subscribes to two or more groups and a message has been designated for distribution to more than one of the groups to which the person has subscribed, duplicate messages will be received.)

Ten Subject Areas Available Using CSMS

The ten following subject areas (or message groups) will be availablefrom CSMS:

Automated Broker Interface (ABI)

ACE Outreach Events

ACE Portal Accounts

ACE Reports

Air Manifest

Ocean Manifest

Rail Manifest

Truck Manifest

Cuentas en el Portal de ACE (ACE Portal Account - Spanish)

Transportistas de Camion (Truck Manifest - Spanish)

(Note that the Spanish translations will be provided as a courtesy to the non-English speaking trade community, and the official CBP text is the English version of the messages and/or documents. Any discrepancies will not be binding and have no legal effect for compliance or enforcement purposes.)

Trade Community Can Sign Up for CSMS Email Service Now

Interested members of the trade community can sign up for the CSMS email service now, via a link in CBP's announcement.

¹ CBP states that the CSMS administrative message number will be two digits longer than ABI administrative message numbers - two additional zeros have been inserted following the hyphen for all of the converted messages. The format of the message number for all messages issued via the new CSMS will be YY-NNNNNN, where YY is the last two digits of the calendar year and NNNNNN is a sequentially assigned number.

(See ITT's Online Archives or 11/06/07 news, 07110605 for BP summary of CBP's initial announcement of this new system.)

For more information on the CSMS, email CBP.CBPCSPO@dhs.gov

CBP Adm: 08-003 (dated 01/16/08), available at http://www.brokerpower.com/admmsgs/2008/08-0003.html

CBP announcement and links to sign up for email list serve (dated 01/15/08) available at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/about/modernization/whats_new/plans_launch_nmbs.xml

CBP press release on CSMS (dated 01/15/08), available at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/01152008_3.xml