Shipping to and from United States of America

While not a member of BASC, which is a program meant for port and terminal operators and shippers overseas, Maersk actively promotes this program by encouraging our suppliers and service providers to participate, and by co-sponsoring seminars with U.S. Customs and Border Protection at overseas locations to combat contraband smuggling.

For more information, visit the Business Anti-Smuggling Coalition (BASC) page.

While Maersk Inc. has an executable Business Continuity Plan (BCP), each event activating that plan is complex and dependent on the nature of the event. Due to the complexity, the need to be flexible and the proprietary nature of this information, we regret that we cannot release the details of our plan.

The main concerns reflected in the plans both here in North America and globally are the protection of the health and welfare of our colleagues and providing our customers with the best possible customer service during an event.

Cargo Claims Handling Process. Please follow the claims process outlined in the Claims guide. The guide was created to make the claims process as simple and efficient as possible.

U.S. Customs and border protection's "C-TPAT" program

Customs Trade - Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) is a joint initiative between U.S. Customs & Border Protection and importers, terminal operators, carriers and others in the supply chain focusing on security procedures, physical security, personnel security, education and training awareness, cargo manifest security and conveyance security.

Maersk, Maersk Logistics, Maersk Customs Services, Inc. (Maersk Customs Services), APM Terminals and Bridge Terminal Transport Trucking became the first enterprise-wide transportation organization to complete the Customs validation process for the liner, logistics, terminals and trucking functions, conducted in the USA, Europe and Indonesia.

The benefits of Maersk’s participation in C-TPAT are twofold:

1. A more secure supply chain for our customers
2. Reduced inspections by Customs

Please refer to the following link for additional information:

• C-TPAT Supply Chain Security Best Practices Catalog

Maersk is also a member of PIP (Partners In Protection), a program thru Canadian Customs.

U.S. food and drug administration bioterrorism act of 2002 update

Maersk wishes to remind you of the FDA Prior Notice (PN) requirements for cargo transiting overland in the U.S.

The FDA will issue 'do not move' messages at the discharge port for any qualifying cargo which does not have Prior Notice (PN) filed.

Prior notice of imported food shipments:

• This PN (prior notice) is applicable to all cargo which is U.S. final delivery or cargo being transported in bond either between U.S. ports for transshipment or from/to Canada or Mexico (Transportation and Exportation cargo, called “T&E” cargo). Cargo being transshipped at the same port of discharge is not eligible.
• Prior notice (PN) may be sent by anyone who has full knowledge of shipment details and it may be sent from any global location. This is typically filed by the shipper, consignee or entities such as brokers and forwarders working on their behalf. Maersk will not be sending a PN on any shipments.
• The FDA is working with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to send A hold message in AMS if the PN is not supplied, for qualifying shipments, when the U.S. Customs entry is made or within the specified time-frame for T&E cargo.
• If cargo is put on hold by the FDA for lack of PN, it will be the responsibility of the cargo interests to contact the FDA and determine what FDA requires to satisfy the hold and trigger a release.

FDA has provided, on their website, a Help Desk which can be called, faxed or emailed to assist with Registration or Prior Notice questions or technical issues.

Please refer to the following FDA links for additional information:

• General Bioterrorism Act Information
• Prior Notice (PN)
• Registration of Food Facilities

U.S customs & border protection “10 + 2 Initiative”

In addition to the current data elements specified under the 24-Hour Rule, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) proposes to require an additional set of data elements 24 hours prior to vessel loading.

Ten data elements are to be submitted by importers or their agents by a yet to be determined system. Among the options being discussed are the AMS [Automated Manifest System], and ABI [Automated Broker Interface – a U.S. Customs Broker clearance system].

The following 10 data elements were selected because of their probative value and because of their ready availability in current logistics processes. They include:

• Manufacturer name and address
• Seller name and address
• Container stuffing location
• Consolidator name and address
• Buyer name and address
• “Ship to” name and address
• Importer of record number
• Consignee number
• Country of origin of the goods
• Commodity Harmonized Tariff Schedule number

In addition to the data elements outlined above, CBP will require ocean carriers to provide two additional data sets to complete the security filing:

Vessel stow plan

• Provided to U.S. Customs by the vessel operator after vessel leaves the last foreign port, before it arrives in U.S. This will allow CBP to check each container stowed on the vessel against the containers which have been manifested to meet the 24 hour rule to ensure all cargo has been reported.
• Stow plan
• Container status messages

Container status messages (CSM’s)

• Container movements from the time a container is associated with a U.S. booking, until container gates out for delivery.

For more information, visit the Security Filing (10+2) page.

Maersk currently participates in the Super Carrier Initiative Program. Please note that one may not participate in both the Sea Carrier Initiative and Super Carrier programs. The Super Carrier program is conducted at a higher security level than the Sea Carrier Initiative.

Maersk is one of only 27 ocean carriers worldwide permitted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection to participate at this level.

For more information, visit the Carrier Intitiative Program page on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) website.

Maersk is committed to the provision of constant care and to the prevention of breaches of security associated with our operations. We rank security considerations equally with commercial and operational factors in the management of our operations.

In close co-operation with the responsible authorities, we take all measures necessary to maintain the highest security standards at all times in our organization, at our shore facilities as well as onboard our vessels, in order to provide the highest level of security for our customers and colleagues.

The Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) is to be issued to all persons requiring unescorted access to a regulated marine terminal or aboard a regulated vessel. This program is scheduled to begin the enrollment process at ten designated ports in March of 2007 with a completion date for all U.S. ports within 18 months.

Those affected include truck drivers, railroad engineers, and longshore workers, among others. Depending on the definition of "secure site," TWIC requirements could potentially affect some shipper employees, such as warehouse workers.

Transportation workers across all modes may be required to have the cards, which will use personal information to positively identify workers. Use of such hard-to-fake information and technology features such as holographic overlays are meant to make the credentials as close to tamper-proof as possible.

Although the card reader requirements are not being implemented at this time, the Coast Guard will institute periodic unannounced checks to confirm the identity of the holder of the TWIC.

These TWIC cards will not initially support biometric operations, but the TWIC cards will be functional with certain existing access control systems in use at ports today.

For more information, visit the Transportation Worker Identification Credential page on the Transportation Security Administration website.