C-TPAT PORTAL

Next Phase of C-TPAT Portal 2.0 to be Deployed May 16

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg Trade Report

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is preparing to deploy phase II of C-TPAT portal 2.0 on May 16. Until that occurs, new C-TPAT applications are not being accepted to prevent potential applicants from having to complete the security profile twice.
C-TPAT seeks to safeguard trade flows from terrorist acts by developing and adopting measures that add security while facilitating legitimate trade. C-TPAT members include U.S. importers, U.S./Canada highway carriers, U.S./Mexico highway carriers, rail and sea carriers, licensed U.S. customs brokers, U.S. marine port authority/terminal operators, U.S. freight consolidators, ocean transportation intermediaries and non‐operating common carriers, Mexican and Canadian manufacturers, and Mexican long‐haul carriers.
According to CBP, C-TPAT portal 2.0 streamlines the C-TPAT application process (including simplifying the security profile) and enhances account management tools. In phase I (deployed in December 2014) all active C-TPAT users started managing their company information through one main account containing generic company information (called the trade account), and in phase II they will be able to merge multiple C-TPAT accounts into the trade account to allow more efficient management of those accounts. Phase II will also offer the ability to establish relationships between C-TPAT accounts that have different security standards and link accounts (such as manufacturer and importer accounts) in an organization tree.
CBP states that the Status Verification Interface is undergoing significant changes in portal 2.0. SVI numbers are being abolished and all current monitoring between partners is carrying over to portal 2.0. All future requests to monitor will be made and accepted within the C-TPAT portal site similar to many social media sites, so email requests between partners will no longer be necessary.
CBP notes that phases III and IV of C-TPAT portal 2.0 are still in development and currently have no fixed deployment dates. CBP envisions that this system will evolve into a trusted trader portal to allow the international trade community to register memberships in other U.S. and international trusted trader programs