CBP Moves Ahead on C-TPAT for Air Carriers and 3PLs

11/19/07 08:53 PM Posted by Jennifer KessingerFiled in: Customs | International Trade

American Shipper reported on November 19, 2007, that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is moving forward on extending the voluntary security program, Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT), for air carriers and 3PLs. Last week, CBP released its minimum security criteria for air carriers participating in C-TPAT and Bradd Skinner, the program's director, said he hopes to have similar security criteria in place for third-party logistics providers by early 2008.

American Shipper reports that CBP officials had previously said they intended to open up enrollment for the first time to logistics providers by the end of last summer, but CBP is carefully studying the dynamics of the outsourced logistics sector and developing a common definition for such a service provider, which is proving difficult because the industry is using so many subcontractors. CBP wants to ensure that any security plans instituted by the 3PL are also pushed down the pipeline to the companies doing the actual work.

The C-TPAT office plans to complete a draft proposal for 3PL minimum security requirements by early December, get executive approval by the end of the month and present the standards to the Commercial Operations Advisory Committee for final review.

Tags: C-TPAT