Members who trade their vessels to US ports will be familiar with the process of submitting Advance Manifest System (AMS) declarations prior to arrival. The submission must also include the company’s Standard Carrier Alpha Code (SCAC), obtained from the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA).
Members are reminded that it is necessary to make an annual renewal payment to NMFTA to ensure that the SCAC remains valid. It has been reported that approximately 9,000 SCACs are currently in need of renewal, possibly risking cancellation by the US Bureau of Customs and Border Protection and the rejection of any AMS submissions thereafter.
Members are therefore urged to check they are in possession of a valid SCAC which has been renewed since 1 July 2006.
Renewal payments may be made to NMFTA online at: http://www.nmfta.org/StandardCarrierAlphaCode/tabid/59/Default.aspx