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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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TECHNOLOGY
GIVES WORLD COURIER CLEARANCE EDGE ON INTERNATIONAL SHIPMENTS
NEW
YORK, New York, February 9, 2005—Measures passed by
U.S. Congress in 2002 and implemented by the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security in late 2004 have led to heightened scrutiny of all shipments entering
and exiting the United States. With the establishment of U.S. Customs’ new
Advanced Manifest System (AMS), all importers must now electronically submit
accurate and timely documentation on all shipments entering the U.S. – or run
the risk of clearance delays. World Courier’s acquisition of this
Customs-specific technology has allowed it to successfully neutralize and
bypass the clearance delays routinely experienced by other service providers.
“Through our association with New York Air
Courier Clearance [the operator of the Express Facility at JFK Airport], we
were able to lobby U.S. Customs for special permission to operate our own AMS
system,” says Dennis Tselentis, President of the U.S.-based World Courier Inc.
“This gives us increased electronic visibility with both airlines and Customs that importers and freight forwarders
typically don’t have. It has definitely helped us manage unnecessary clearance
delays.”
Since December 2004, detailed manifests
identifying all international shipments traveling into or via the nine American
gateway cities must be received by U.S. Customs at least four hours prior to
flight arrival. Under the new system, an importer’s failure to provide full and
accurate shipment details results in fines and penalties against the carrier,
leading most airlines to control the submission of data to Customs themselves.
With all originating World Courier offices now
required to submit shipping manifests electronically to their selected
carriers, the airlines’ subsequent transfer of data to Customs can sometimes
result in errors. “If information is not accurate, the entry is rejected.
Customs cannot proceed until the manifest is corrected,” says Michael Connolly,
Director of International Operations for World Courier Inc. “It may take
several hours before the entry can be refiled, leading to delays on shipments.”
Since the new security regulations were imposed
late last year, World Courier has made every effort to ensure that Customs gets
the right information the first time around. Staffing in New York’s operational
hub has increased to permit the proactive monitoring of every shipment entering
the U.S.; in-house brokerage professionals now work directly with carriers on a
shipment-by-shipment basis to resolve issues that arise; and, unlike other
service provider capabilities, World Courier’s use of the AMS technology in
verifying documentation has proven invaluable.
On the export side, the newly introduced
Automated Export System (AES) similarly calls for exporters to declare and
receive pre-approval on all high-value shipments before tendering them to an
airline, while food products destined for the U.S. (including samples) are now
subject to a 24-hour notice regulation which is enforced by the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA).
Incorporated in 1969,
World Courier has set the benchmark for worldwide time-sensitive
transportation. It remains the only specialist courier company with its own
global network dedicated to treating every shipment on an individual, priority
basis. Today, World Courier is the acknowledged leader in delivering customized
solutions and value-added services in growth markets such as the bio-medical,
automotive and high-tech industries. Headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut,
World Courier maintains a comprehensive international network of over 130
wholly-owned ISO 9001-certified offices operating in some 50 countries around
the globe.
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Contacts
North America
Dennis Tselentis
President
World Courier Inc.
1313 - 4th Avenue
New Hyde Park, NY, 11040
Telephone: (516) 354-2600
Toll-free: 1-800-231-7227
Fax:
(516) 354-2713
E-mail:
dtselentis@worldcourier.com