BLAINE, Wash. (Jan. 12, 2005) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection has pulled the plug on a pilot program for the Automated Commercial Environment after three weeks of testing at the port of Surrey, B.C.-Blaine, Wash.

The streamlined release systems protocol, mandated by the Trade Act in 2002, involved pre-selected truck carriers to open Truck Carrier Accounts in order to transmit electronic manifest data and obtain release of their cargo, crew, conveyances, and equipment via the ACE Portal or electronic data interchange (EDI) messaging.

As part of the pre-notification rule, Free and Secure Trade (FAST)-approved shipments must transmit the data to CBP no later than 30 minutes before reaching the border. Non-FAST carriers must submit data at least an hour before arrival.

In a notice to importers, CBP said it had shut down the electronic truck manifest pilot test that began Dec. 11 through the ACE system currently being developed.

In the first week of the test, CBP officers processed 6,279 trucks via the secure ACE portal, according to CBP’s newsletter.

CBP didn’t give any specific reason for the cancellation, but said the truck manifest will return to Blaine for a second pilot test after system enhancements. Some officials told local media that the system was shelved because of several technical and software problems.

Blaine was the first border point to test the truck manifest data system and the ability for carriers to release of their cargo through ACE ACE portal or EDI messaging.