FedEx Trade Networks said it has completed its mission to enable ACE (Automated Commercial Environment) entry summary filing at all U.S. ports of entry. "Technology plays a huge role in our business and any opportunity to work with CBP to pioneer innovation in our industry is always a win," said Andy Henry, vice president of U.S. Operations for FedEx Trade Networks. Since it's well ahead of any CBP mandated cutover date, the company said it expects no service disruptions when the cutover becomes mandatory. "Customers benefit from the improved visibility and expanded functionality of the new ACE systems which allows them to make better, real-time decisions regarding their shipments," Henry said.

CBP posted a fact sheet on deployed Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) capabilities as of October 2012. The following capabilities have been delivered in ACE in support of CBP, Participating Government Agencies (PGAs), and the trade community:

CBP had processed imports valued at nearly $1.2 trillion in the first half of 2012, up 10 percent over a year earlier, CBP said in its mid-year trade report. That's an increase of more than $100 billion in imports over the value of merchandise shipped into the U.S. during the first half of 2011, it said, and the second year in a row that mid-year figures have exceeded a trillion dollars. The figures are "encouraging signs" for the economy, said CBP Deputy Commissioner David Aguilar. He said mid-year revenue collections increased by almost $1.5 billion, and "we've seen an increase in the number of importers, lines of merchandise, and the amount of products contained in shipments. These are all strong indications that importers have confidence in consumer spending and expect to be able to sell additional merchandise."

The Centers for Excellence and Expertise (CEEs) offer a significant amount of hope and concern among the trade industry, said individuals involved in several different facets during interviews. The CEEs, which offer industry-dedicated, virtual locations for entry summary review, are currently in a pilot phase but are widely expected to see an increased role, potentially meaning a major shift in the customs world. Several concerns remain, said industry and CBP officials, but there's also hope that they will provide for simpler and more uniform customs processes.

CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related issues:

CBP still has not seen any major or minor issues with the move from the rail and sea legacy manifest filing systems to Automated Commercial Environment (ACE): e-Manifest (M1), said Brenda Smith, head of the ACE business office in an interview. Since the transition on Sept. 28, a day earlier than the official cutoff date, all automated manifest system (AMS) filers are using the M1 system for automated filing. The move to M1 marks a significant milestone for ACE, which has proven to be a difficult and expensive process for CBP.

CBP posted a set of frequently asked questions (FAQ) about the use of in-bond within e-Manifest: Rail & Sea (M1). As of Oct. 1, M1 is the only electronic means to provide CBP advance ocean and rail manifest information.

CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related issues:

CBP said it successfully transferred all ocean carriers, rail carriers and Automated Broker Interface software developers to the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) e-Manifest: Rail and Sea. ACE now operates as the only CBP-approved electronic data interchange through which rail and sea manifests may be transmitted to the agency. CBP said the transition was completed a full 24 hours prior to the Sept. 29 deadline.

International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for Sept. 24-28 in case they were missed.