New Security Rules for Ocean and Air Cargo
Here’s what to keep in mind as government inspectors step up vigilance.
Take care with new security measures on ocean cargo shipments: Mistakes will carry a heavy price. U.S. Customs and Border Protection will soon enforce detailed requirements for filing information about ship manifests plus data from the shippers themselves: Factory address, tax identification number, the number of units ordered and manufactured, where the container was loaded and so on.
Take care with new security measures on ocean cargo shipments: Mistakes will carry a heavy price. U.S. Customs and Border Protection will soon enforce detailed requirements for filing information about ship manifests plus data from the shippers themselves: Factory address, tax identification number, the number of units ordered and manufactured, where the container was loaded and so on.
Computer analysis will target shipments with inaccurate or missing information for more probing, including possibly waylaying the cargo before the ship sets sail. If suspicions crop up after departure, cargo will be impounded at the receiving port and inspected before being released. In either case, expensive delays are likely.

Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
It won’t be enough to make sure that the information your firm supplies is accurate. “It is vital to check with all of the vendors and business partners to ensure that they have processes in place to enable your company to periodically review all of their records” to make sure everyone is complying with security mandates, says Susan Kohn Ross, a partner and international trade attorney with Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp, a law firm. Shipping firms will need to be certain that each customer toes the line or all will be penalized by delays.
Come August, 100% of air cargo on passenger planes must be screened -- not just the 50% of each shipment that the government requires be looked at now. But that’s tougher than it appears because huge pallets with hundreds of boxes are often waved through when they are part of a single aggregated shipment that also contains individual boxes. The one-off boxes are screened to meet the regulation.
To minimize delays, consider freight consolidators certified by the Transportation Security Administration to do preloading inspections, rather than relying on airlines’ screening. Consolidators segregate packages that need special handling, while hustling others through. Or use all-cargo carriers, which have no such requirements.
Get Kiplinger Today newsletter — free
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.
-
Donating Complex Assets Doesn't Have to Be Complicated
If you're looking to donate less-conventional assets but don't know where to start, this charity executive has answers, such as considering a donor-advised fund (DAF) for its tax benefits and ease of use.
-
Travel trends you can expect this summer
The Kiplinger Letter Domestic trips will trump foreign travel amid economic uncertainties, though some costs are down.
-
The New AI Agents Will Tackle Your To-Do List
The Kiplinger Letter Autonomous AI agents “see” your computer screen, then complete a task, from buying a concert ticket to organizing email. This opens up a world of possibilities.
-
AI’s Medical Revolution
The Kiplinger Letter Medicine is a field ripe for finding both exciting and practical uses for AI. The tech is already being used by doctors and researchers.
-
The Economic Impact of the US-China Trade War
The Letter The US-China trade war will impact US consumers and business. The decoupling process could be messy.
-
AI Heads to Washington
The Kiplinger Letter There’s big opportunity for AI tools that analyze MRIs and other medical images. But also big challenges that clinicians and companies will have to overcome.
-
The AI Doctor Coming to Read Your Test Results
The Kiplinger Letter There’s big opportunity for AI tools that analyze CAT scans, MRIs and other medical images. But there are also big challenges that human clinicians and tech companies will have to overcome.
-
The New Space Age Takes Off
The Kiplinger Letter From fast broadband to SOS texting, space has never been more embedded in peoples’ lives. The future is even more exciting for rockets, satellites and emerging space tech.
-
Rising AI Demand Stokes Undersea Investments
The Kiplinger Letter As demand soars for AI, there’s a need to transport huge amounts of data across oceans. Tech giants have big plans for new submarine cables, including the longest ever.
-
What DOGE is Doing Now
The Kiplinger Letter As Musk's DOGE pursues its ambitious agenda, uncertainty and legal challenges are mounting — causing frustration for Trump.