On August 14, 2017 Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) suspended the option to allow single shipments to be released from a primary sufferance warehouse using an electronic house bill.

 

A single shipment, also know as a back to back shipment shipment, involves both a freight forwarder and a primary carrier for one shipment under one cargo control number and one cargo control document.

 

For the interim all electronically transmitted house bills must be destined to a CW           (secondary) warehouse and release requests for back to back shipments from a primary warehouse  must be on a primary cargo control number.

What is the Reason for This Change?

There was an issue with the current process as CBSA describes here: “when a back to back/single shipment has physically arrived into a warehouse, and a warehouse arrival certification message (WACM) has been transmitted on the previous CCN, but the arrival does not cascade down to the related house bill.  The house bill does not go into arrived status and therefore cannot be released.” Suspension of this option resolves this issue.

How Will This Affect Freight Forwarders?

Prior to August 14, 2017 CBSA will allow freight forwarders to adjust and make any necessary processing changes but CBSA is encouraging freight forwarders to cease transmitting electronic house bills for back to back shipments destined to a primary warehouse as soon as possible.

How Should Freight Forwarders Respond?

Freight forwarders are directed via CBSA Customs Notice 17-22 to implement the following for import and in bond consolidated shipments including back to back shipments:

• All electronically transmitted house bills must be destined to a CW warehouse. The release request must quote the lowest level house bill.

• Release requests for back to back shipments clearing from a primary warehouse must be on a primary cargo control number and shipments will be released on the primary control number. Pre-arrival/pre-load ACI S10 supplementary reports will be required for air and marine back to back shipments.

• If electronic bills are not transmitted, the freight forwarder must present paper house bills  to the CBSA post arrival for validation for all consolidated house bills. The release request must quote the lowest level paper house bills destined to a CW (secondary) warehouse. Pre-arrival/pre-load ACI S10 supplementary reports will be required for air and marine consolidated house bills.

 

CBSA has provided an electronic house bill (ehouse bill) client support service to assist freight forwarders and facilitate their shipments into Canada. Freight forwarders can use this service to ask questions and resolve related operational issues and learn about freight forwarder requirements.

 

Eastern Canada shipment destination - Marine mode : 514-350-6169

Monday - Friday 0800 - 1600 ET   Air mode- 514-633-7844 ext. 2069

                                                     Highway mode  - 450-246-8051

                                     

Western Canada shipment destination  All modes 604-666-0098

Monday - Friday - 0800-1600.

 

For more information about ehouse bills clients may request a copy of the Electronic Commerce Client Requirements Document (ECCRD). Chapter 5: ACI/eManifest House Bill from the TCCU.