Updated 3:13 p.m. ET, Tue Aug 24, 2004

The JOURNAL of COMMERCE ONLINE

In early July 2004 Panalpina and its in-house airfreight provider ASB-Air in Miami combined with TradePoint Systems to complete the first successful electronic transmission of in-bond shipment data to U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection for Air Automated Manifest System.

The filing allows for immediate Customs clearance of in-bond/transit shipments, effectively making in-bond transaction paperless.

Air AMS allows participants to "arrive" an in-bond shipment and to file in-bond, permit to proceed, and local transfers electronically. Notifications of releases, in-bond authorizations, general order, permit to proceed, and local transfer authorization are obtained upon flight departure or arrival from the last foreign port. Amendments to any air waybill information can also be transmitted electronically through AMS.

Customs set an Aug. 13 deadline for compliance with Air AMS.