CargoWise edi, a provider of integrated international supply chain logistics management systems, was recently certified as an Automated Broker Interface (ABI) vendor with the U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) Agency.
After integrating the necessary CBP messaging capabilities for combined International Freight Forwarders and Customs House Brokers into its ediEnterprise software solution, CargoWise edi successfully completed the intensive testing and qualification with the CBP Automated Commercial System (ACS). The Company is now approved for the following levels of ABI operations: ABI (Import Customs House Broker), MQ-SV (MQ/Frame enabled ABI software vendor) and QP/WP (In-bond messaging services).
The certification confirms that CargoWise edi has successfully passed the stringent 100-point test plan developed by the U.S. CBP Agency. The certification includes messaging capabilities such as: Automated Broker Interface (ABI) and In-Bond (IT – QP/WP) capabilities, which allows import data to be filed electronically via ediEnterprise, CargoWise edi’s modular set of supply chain solutions, directly with Customs using the Automated Commercial System (ACS).
The benefits of CBP certification is apparent to the customers who have an integrated end-to-end solution for the International Freight Forwarding and Customs House Brokerage community that is capable of ABI and In-bond messaging. The integration with CBP expedites the release of merchandise for the trade community, as entry summaries are electronically transmitted, validated, confirmed, amended and paid. Administrative messages keep participants informed on all current information and processing status. Users can also query quota status, visa requirements, importer, supplier, manufacturer information, and pay Customs duties, fees and taxes (statements) through the Automated Clearing House (ACH). The system also allows for Remote Location Filing (RLF), which provides the ability to file import data from a remote location.
Through the use of CargoWise edi’s ediEnterprise software system, ACS facilitates merchandise processing, significantly cuts costs and reduces paperwork requirements for both Customs and the importing community. This adds to the existing capabilities with the Shippers Export Declarations and AMS Import Containers that are already live and in use by CargoWise edi’s ediEnterprise customer base. The ediEnterprise system provides a seamless single point of data entry for all international shipment messages.
Cindy Allen, Vice President of Customs / Director of Compliance at Argents Air Express, Ltd., which was involved in the initial commercialization for CargoWise edi, said of the certification: “ediEnterprise will allow our staff to operate from one system, with one database, for all of our functions – enabling more visibility into the comprehensive services that we provide our clients and allow us to better anticipate their needs based on patterns that will now be visible to our staff. Testing the ediEnterprise application with CargoWise edi has been an exciting experience as the benefits of this integrated system become more and more evident with each test shipment completed. Our company is looking forward to full implementation of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection module of the ediEnterprise system.”
Other logistics providers involved in the commercial implementations for CargoWise edi’s U.S. CBP module of the ediEnterprise software system will include: Mainfreight International, Inc., Wako Logistics Group (WLG) (USA) and Footner & Company. Upon completion of these initial commercial implementations, the CBP-approved ediEnterprise software module will be officially released and available to the entire U.S. marketplace in the first quarter of 2008.
