[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 217 (Monday, November 15, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63036-63037]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-24838]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

[1651-0019]


Vessel Entrance or Clearance Statement

AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Department of 
Homeland Security.

ACTION: 60-Day Notice and request for comments; revision of an existing 
collection of information.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection will be submitting the following information collection 
request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and 
approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA). 
The information collection is published in the Federal Register to 
obtain comments from the public and affected agencies.

DATES: Comments are encouraged and must be submitted (no later than 
January 14, 2022) to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and/or suggestions regarding the item(s) 
contained in this notice must include the OMB Control Number 1651-0019 
in the subject line and the agency name. Please use the following 
method to submit comments:
    Email. Submit comments to: [email protected].
    Due to COVID-19-related restrictions, CBP has temporarily suspended 
its ability to receive public comments by mail.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional PRA 
information should be directed to Seth Renkema, Chief, Economic Impact 
Analysis Branch, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Trade, 
Regulations and Rulings, 90 K Street NE, 10th Floor, Washington, DC 
20229-1177, telephone number 202-325-0056, or via email 
[email protected]. Please note that the contact information provided 
here is solely for questions regarding this notice. Individuals seeking 
information about other CBP programs should contact the CBP National 
Customer Service Center at 877-227-5511, (TTY) 1-800-877-8339, or CBP 
website at https://www.cbp.gov/.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: CBP invites the general public and other 
Federal agencies to comment on the proposed and/or continuing 
information collections pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). This process is conducted in accordance with 
5 CFR 1320.8. Written comments and suggestions from the public and 
affected agencies should address one or more of the following four 
points: (1) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary 
for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether the information will have practical utility; (2) the accuracy 
of the agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (3) suggestions to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of 
the information to be collected; and (4) suggestions to minimize the 
burden of the collection of information on those who are to respond, 
including through the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of 
responses. The comments that are submitted will be summarized and 
included in the request for approval. All comments will become a matter 
of public record.

Overview of This Information Collection

    Title: Vessel Entrance or Clearance Statement.
    OMB Number: 1651-0019.
    Form Number: CBP Form 1300.
    Current Actions: Revision of an existing collection of information.
    Type of Review: Revision.
    Affected Public: Businesses.
    Abstract: CBP Form 1300, Vessel Entrance or Clearance Statement, 
was developed through agreement by the United Nations Intergovernmental 
Maritime Organization (IMO) in conjunction with the United States and 
various other countries. The form was

[[Page 63037]]

developed as a single form to replace the numerous other forms used by 
various countries for the entrance and clearance of vessels. CBP Form 
1300 is authorized by 19 U.S.C. 1431, 1433, and 1434, and provided for 
by 19 CFR 4. This form is accessible at http://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/publications/forms?title=1300&=Apply.
    This form is, currently, physically submitted and is anticipated to 
be electronically submitted as part of CBP's efforts to automate 
maritime forms through the Vessel Entrance and Clearance System (VECS), 
which will reduce the need for paper submission of any vessel entrance 
or clearance requirements under the above referenced statutes and 
regulations. VECS will still collect and maintain the same data as CBP 
Form 1300, but will automate the capture of data to reduce or eliminate 
redundancy with other data collected by CBP.

Proposed Changes

1. New ACE Account Type

    CBP is adding a new ACE Account type for Vessel Agencies: Vessel 
Agency Account. The new account type within ACE will operate as a 
portal to the Vessel Entrance and Clearance System (VECS), which will 
run as its own separate system.
    Vessel Agents will be required to provide identifying information 
such as, their name, their employer identification number (EIN), 
company address, and their phone numbers, which will be requested at 
the time Vessel Agents apply for the new ACE account type.
    After creating an ACE account, Vessel Agencies, Vessel Operating 
Common Carriers (VOCCs), and their designees maybe able to use the new 
Vessel Entrance and Clearance System (VECS) as part of a forthcoming 
pilot program to test the functionality of VECS, and will be able to 
file vessel entrance, clearance, and related data to CBP 
electronically.

2. VECS Public Pilot

    VECS will automate and digitize the collection and processing of 
the data and filing requirements for which the CBP Form 1300 is used. 
CBP plans to run an initial public pilot to test the system. All users 
who obtained a Vessel Agency Account through the ACE Portal will be 
automatically enrolled into the VECS public pilot. Initially, the pilot 
will begin at one of several ports where VECS is being internally 
tested. CBP will provide training to each CBP port and the Vessel 
Agency personnel at each port, prior to beginning/expanding the public 
pilot in another port.
    The VECS public pilot will expand to other internal CBP testing 
ports based on knowledge and familiarity with the system. The VECS 
public pilot will then, based on pilot results, expand to additional 
ports, in an effort to progressively test and implement the system 
nationwide. There will be no change to CBP Form 1300 and CBP Form 1300 
will continue to be accepted.
    Type of Information Collection: Vessel Entrance or Clearance 
Statement (CBP Form 1300).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 2,624.
    Estimated Number of Annual Responses per Respondent: 72.
    Estimated Number of Total Annual Responses: 188,928.
    Estimated Time per Response: 30 minutes (0.5 hours).
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 94,464.

    Dated: November 9, 2021.
Seth D. Renkema,
Branch Chief, Economic Impact Analysis Branch, U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection.
[FR Doc. 2021-24838 Filed 11-12-21; 8:45 am]
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