As we all know CBP is responsible for knowing what is arriving in each container or box, where it came from, and whether it poses a risk to the security and health of the American people, economy or environment. I want to share some tips for “when your shipment is flagged for a custom examination”

How to track it? Actually there has some ways we can track our container status not sitting there waiting and waiting for cbp custom or customs agencies feedbacks.

Let me do examples my shipment is notified for a custom exam when it arrives at L.A port.I only got the container number and checked the container number from the boat web but it only says the container is noticed for custom exam and since then there are no updates from boat web.

I am now telling you how to track if your goods are in L.A port and being checked.

First of all let me explain the most common exams that you may encounter :

1.X-ray exam (Vacis Exam)

2.Tailgate Exam

3.Intensive Exam (CET Exam)

1.X-ray exam (Vacis Exam)

The luckiest pick This type of exam does not break the container seal or open the container As it is only a X scan very fast and easy run. Operate method is your container pass through a door the container will be scanned

Spend time: 1-3days This type of exam is pretty quick it may only delay the goods by one day or congestion 3days

2.Tailgate Exam:

From names tail gate means the only check tail of the container.Yes.In this case, the container is inspected at the dock. CBP officers unseal the container, open the door, and take a look inside. If all is normal, release; If not, it will be upgraded to the last check level

Spend time: 3-7days usually will get release in 1 week if the goods are normal ok

3.Intensive Exam (CET Exam)

The upgraded version of inspection Intensive Exam is the most intrusive exam The most rigorous, tedious and time-consuming the container will be trucked to a CES station unload all the goods from the container,Every goods will be checked physically and carefully by cbp officer if infringement or risk products are found CBP will hold them and release the rest qualified products Intensive exam will perform also after the tailgate or a suspicious X-ray exam

CET exam it will be transported to customs exam warehouse for physical inspection for narcotics, drugs, weapons etc same details VS Intensive exam time spend is close.

Spend time: 7-30days most of I know cost time is around 15days 2 weeks, if occurs to port congestion the time will be longer 30days or more

For tracking your shipment you will need to request your BILL OF LADING number or at least your container number(where your goods were in) this will be the only clue that you can track

In LA and Long Beach PORT there are usually 3 companies who responsible for the checking

As custom officer won’t tell us who will check our shipment,so we can only try all the 3 companies and find out.

FIRST COMPANY:

California Cartage Company (Cal Cartage)

https://www.calcartage.com/

They provide customs examination service you can Track your exam directly by viewing

https://cestracking.calcartage.com/WebForms/Login.aspx

Don’t register clik QUCIK SEARCH then go to another page

Enter the infos you know and click FIND

I am giving an example one container that be checked let’s try the container number I get is MATU4539085 it could not find

if you could not find any of your goods infos then go to another company which means your goods are not checked by this company

SECOND COMPANY:

Price transfer inc

http://pricetransfer.com/

This company is the most popular checking station so you can try this web first.

Let’s still try MATU4539085 go to web and go to quick search enter our container number GO.

Good luck you found your container

You can view your container details: The most important infos to you is the Status: this will update day by day from beginner waiting for checking,Check in progress,Checked released then Billed you need to pay the cost and then your container will be available to pick up from that address.

Or if you are not lucky there may have Hold notice. Manifested hold and partial released ….telling you the container has something not clean will need to be hold and release the normal goods…If your goods are 100% sure of safe and normal don’t worry CPB officers won’t hold normal goods.

 

THIRD COMPANY :

 FCL Logistics keeps cargo moving with timely CBP Trade Enforcement Examinations

Website: http://www.fcllogistics.com/

Same method of quick search

Very close version VS price transfer but they are not same company, obviously our container is not in here,we couldn’t find it

CONCLUSION: from above 3 tries you only need 5 minutes to find our your checking status and where it is.With this solution you will be able to respond to customer inquiries with ease.

So custom examination is not afraid don’t panic,as long as your are sure the goods you are shipping is safe just wait.Sometime the port congestion will cause the examination dealy a lot but we can’t control that what we can do is find where our good is and what status it is in.Knowing all that then patient wait.