Management Research Paper On Accessing Container Security

Container Security
The entry of contrabands into the country is a very serious issue that contributes negatively to the economy and pose direct threat to the lives of the citizens. Roughly 840 undocumented immigrants from Mexico are caught or stopped every day along the border (Kulish and Santos, 2017). More than a million kilos of illegal drugs being transported into the country were also caught as of December 2009 (U.S. Dept. of Justice, 2010). According to an April 3, 2017 report by the ABC News, 23 illegal immigrants from China were found huddling in a cargo container at Long Beach, California. The menace brought by drug and human trafficking, smuggling of goods and entry of items used in terroristic activities is very alarming. The threats at the U.S. borders are a very challenging tasks for the authorities designated to carry out the laws.
While the government is much focused on the land border crossing of goods and the arrival of the same via air transport, shipments into the country of goods through marine vessels are also given critical attention. On January 26, 2009, the U.S. government started enforcing the Import Security Filing (ISF), commonly known as “10+2” for cargo imports arriving in the United States by vessel. It must be submitted electronically to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at least 24 hours before lading. The programs gives the CBP the ability to identify high-risk shipments and helps in preventing smuggling while ensuring cargo safety and security (CBP, 2009).
With this, increased inspections resulting in cargo delays became common. But it was to the effect that the country and its citizens are placed on safer grounds. The ISF is enforced by the US Customs and Border Protection and is required for all containerized shipment to the country.
The ISF is dubbed as “10+2” because of the 10 required data elements relative to the cargo plus the 2 required data elements from the carrier.
The 10 required data elements are (DHS, 2008):
1.Selling party
2.Buying party
3.Importer of Record Number
4.Consignee number
5.Manufacturer
6.Ship to party
7.Country of origin
8.Commodity Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) number
9.Container stuffing location
10.Consolidator
Additional two elements from the carrier are (DHS, 2008):
1 Vessel Stow Plan; and
2 Container Status Messages
The stow plan for vessels transporting containers should be received by the CBP from the carrier not later than 48 hours after the carrier has left the last port outside of the United States. If the voyage will be less than 48 hours, CBP must be furnished with the carrier’s stow plan through electronic data interchange system approved by the CBP, before the vessel has arrived at the first port in the United States.
Carriers must submit CSMs within 24 hours after the message is logged into the equipment tracking system of carrier. The Department...