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Seajet |
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Early
August |
You
are invited to an
Dear Customers and Friends of Seajet! If you are an importer, you have heard and read an awful lot about “ISF / 10+2” as regards the “Importer Security Filing” program and regulations, which were implemented by the government earlier this year. Seajet was one of the very first customs brokers, who applied and was approved by Customs to file ISF on behalf of our customers. We invested in the installation of an electronic ISF filing system, which has been online since the very first day ISF became mandatory. “Mandatory”. Here is a word some people still have doubts about. The question comes-up frequently. “Do I really have to do this?” – The answer is an absolute “Yes”! To file ISF information is not difficult. But given the number of parties involved in collecting ISF information, it becomes often times complicated and time consuming to get all the required information in time to comply with this regulation. Presently, we are still in the phase-in period and Customs is still showing some leniency when it comes to late or incomplete or incorrect filings of ISF information and, so far, no “No Load” instructions were issued by Customs. However, please be forewarned, that this will all change on January 26, 2010 and this is just a few months away! Customs has distributed information recently, which makes it very clear that this regulation will not go away, nor will it be changed! Customs has also made it very clear that they intend to pursue and fine every IMPORTER who is, either not filing at all, filing late or filing incomplete information. Not only that, when full enforcement begins next January, Customs will issue “No Load” orders to the steamship lines. This means, unless, your ISF filing has been submitted timely, correctly and been accepted by Customs, your cargo will be left behind! Furthermore, Customs fully intends to fine you, the importer, for every single late or incomplete or incorrect filing! Presently, Customs is talking about $5,000.00 per filing! Scary thought and we are afraid, all this will happen! The Seajet team is doing everything we can to assist you with filing ISF timely, correct and complete. However, the information we file on your behalf (assuming that you authorized us to do so by appointing us as your ISF filing agent), is only as good as what we receive from you! It is, therefore, of utmost importance that you reiterate to your suppliers and factories the urgency of complying with ISF requirements, which have been spelled out in detail and distributed many times, to assure that all necessary information is being made available by the supplier \ shipper \factory, to the freight forwarder, as early as possible but no later than 72 hours prior to departure. You may know that the actual filing is not required until 24 hours prior to loading. However, please bear in mind that you and your supplier live in different time zones and sometimes, it takes a day or longer to send messages back and forth to confirm all the details! That is why we insist on receiving ISF filing information as early as 72 hours prior to loading. If you do still have questions about the “why, when, how and where” procedures, you are not alone! Given the real importance of complying with ISF regulations and given the real risk of heavy penalties, issued by Customs direct to you, we believe it may be in your own best interest to sign-up for this outreach meeting at Customs, scheduled to take place in Boston on August 26, 2009. Online registration opens in a couple of days on Monday, August 10 and you can do this here http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/trade_outreach/09_outreach_schl.xml Please mark your calendar because seating will be very limited! This mailing is primarily directed at our customers in the New England area because the above date pertains to the Boston meeting. However, Customs has scheduled additional outreach meetings in other cities at other times during the summer and fall. You will find complete information when visiting the Customs web site, using the above referenced link. You will have noticed that I have repeatedly used the word “you” or “importer” when I referred to compliance enforcement and potential fines. The reason for that is simple. Customs is holding you responsible! Not the forwarder, not the customs broker but you! A little known secret is, that Customs issues “score cards” for every importer to show how well they are doing with their ISF filings! Ask us or your current forwarder for a copy of your score card! I do not like sending a scary letter such as this one but having seen and worked through lots of problems since the beginning of this year, while trying to collect ISF information, I strongly believe this is a good reason for sending a last wake-up call message because Custom will not let this rest! I shall try to finish this letter on a good note by stating that, generally speaking, the Seajet clientele is doing a great job to help us with filing accurate information and my team will continue working closely with every customer to help them to be in full compliance! Thank you for reading this message! Best regards, Ronald W Hiemann, CEO
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Seajet Express Inc., 46 Arlington Street, Chelsea, MA 02150 - Telephone 617.884.0991 - www.seajet.com |
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