[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 138 (Wednesday, July 20, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43278-43281]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-15441]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

U.S. Customs and Border Protection


Announcement of the Modification of the National Customs 
Automation Program (NCAP) Test Concerning the Automated Commercial 
Environment (ACE) Portal Accounts To Establish the Vessel Agency Portal 
Account and To Decommission the Cartman and Lighterman Portal Accounts

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

ACTION: General notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This document announces U.S. Customs and Border Protection's 
(CBP) modification of the National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) 
test concerning Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Portal Accounts 
to establish the ACE Vessel Agency Portal Account, and to decommission 
the Cartman and Lighterman Portal Accounts due to a lack of usage by 
the public. The ACE Vessel Agency Portal Account will include access to 
Vessel Entrance and Clearance Reports. Account ownership will be a 
prerequisite for eligibility in the forthcoming Maritime Forms 
Automation Test pilot, which will allow Vessel Agency Account users to 
file electronic Vessel Entrance and Clearance Statements through the 
Vessel Entrance and Clearance System (VECS). This notice describes the 
eligibility and documentation requirements to apply for a Vessel Agency 
Portal Account and invites public comment concerning any aspect of 
these modifications to the ACE Portal Account Test.

DATES: The modifications of the ACE Portal Account Test announced in 
this notice regarding the creation of the Vessel Agency Portal Account 
will be implemented on July 20, 2022. The decommissioning of the 
Cartman and Lighterman Portal Accounts will be implemented on August 
19, 2022. This test will continue until concluded by way of 
announcement in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: Comments concerning this notice and any aspect of the 
modified ACE Portal Account Test may be submitted at any time during 
the testing period via email to Brian Sale, Cargo and Conveyance 
Security, Office of Field Operations, at [email protected]. The email subject line should be as 
follows, ``Comment on ACE Vessel Agency Portal Account FRN''. For 
technical questions related to the application or requests for an ACE 
Portal Account, including ACE Vessel Agency Account, contact the ACE 
Account Service Desk by calling 1-866-530-4172, selecting option 1, 
then option 2, or by emailing [email protected] for assistance.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Automated Commercial Environment (ACE)

A. The National Customs Automation Program

    The National Customs Automation Program (NCAP) was established by 
Subtitle B of Title VI--Customs Modernization in the North American 
Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Implementation Act (Customs Modernization 
Act) (Pub. L. 103-182, 107 Stat. 2057, 2170, December 8, 1993) (19 
U.S.C. 1411). With the establishment of the NCAP, customs modernization 
has focused on addressing trade compliance and the development of ACE, 
which is the planned successor to the Automated Commercial System 
(ACS). ACE is an automated and electronic system for commercial trade 
processing that is intended to streamline business processes, 
facilitate growth in trade, ensure cargo security, and foster 
participation in global commerce, while ensuring compliance with U.S. 
laws and regulations and reducing costs for U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection (CBP) and all of its communities of interest. The ability to 
meet these objectives depends on successfully modernizing CBP's 
business functions and the information technology that supports those 
functions. CBP's modernization

[[Page 43279]]

efforts are accomplished through phased releases of ACE component 
functionalities designed to replace specific legacy ACS functions and 
add new capabilities.
    The procedures and criteria applicable to participation in the ACE 
Portal Account Test remain in effect unless otherwise explicitly 
changed by this notice.

B. ACE Portal Accounts

    On May 1, 2002, the former U.S. Customs Service, now CBP, published 
a general notice in the Federal Register (67 FR 21800) announcing a 
plan to conduct an NCAP test of the first phase of ACE. The test was 
described as the first step toward the full electronic processing of 
commercial importations with a focus on defining and establishing an 
importer's account structure. That general notice announced that 
importers and authorized parties could access their customs data via an 
internet-based Portal Account. The notice also set forth eligibility 
criteria for companies interested in establishing ACE Portal Accounts.
    Subsequent general notices expanded the types of ACE Portal 
Accounts. On February 4, 2004, CBP published a general notice in the 
Federal Register (69 FR 5360) that established ACE Truck Carrier 
Accounts. On September 8, 2004, CBP published a general notice in the 
Federal Register (69 FR 54302) inviting customs brokers to participate 
in the ACE Portal Account Test and informing interested parties that 
once they had been notified by CBP that their request to participate in 
the ACE Portal Account Test had been accepted, they would be asked to 
sign and submit a ``Terms and Conditions'' document. CBP subsequently 
contacted those participants and asked them to sign and submit an ACE 
Power of Attorney form and an Additional Account/Account Owner 
Information form.
    On October 18, 2007, CBP published a general notice in the Federal 
Register (72 FR 59105) announcing the expansion of the ACE Portal 
Account Test to include the additional following ACE account types: 
Carriers (all modes: air, rail, sea); Cartman; Lighterman; Driver/Crew; 
Facility Operator; Filer; Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) Operator; Service 
Provider; and Surety. On October 21, 2015, CBP published a general 
notice in the Federal Register (80 FR 63817) announcing the creation of 
the Exporter Portal Account. On August 8, 2016, CBP published a general 
notice in the Federal Register (81 FR 52453) announcing the creation of 
the Protest Filer Account. Since then, CBP has not announced the 
creation of any new types of ACE accounts.

II. Authorization for the ACE Portal Account Test

    The Customs Modernization Act authorizes the Commissioner of CBP to 
conduct limited test programs or procedures designed to evaluate 
planned components of the NCAP. The ACE Portal Account Test, as 
modified in this notice, is authorized pursuant to section 101.9 of 
title 19 of the Code of Federal Regulation (19 CFR 101.9(b)), which 
provides for the testing of NCAP programs or procedures. See Treasury 
Decision (T.D.) 95-21.

III. Modification of the ACE Portal Account Test

    This document announces the modification of the ACE Portal Account 
Test to establish the Vessel Agency Portal Account type. This new ACE 
account will provide vessel agents and vessel operators with the 
ability to submit consolidated, electronic vessel arrival, entrance, 
and clearance applications via ACE during the future Maritime Forms 
Automation Test (MFA) pilot,\1\ and any future electronic submissions 
following regulatory amendments. Features of this new portal account 
type, as well as the eligibility and documentation requirements for 
applying for an ACE Vessel Agency Portal Account, are described below.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ CBP will automate its paper-based commercial vessel arrival, 
entrance, and clearance forms and related processing. CBP plans to 
issue a Federal Register notice to announce the creation of the MFA 
pilot that will allow participants to submit consolidated, 
electronic vessel arrival, entrance, and clearance applications via 
ACE to the Vessel Entrance and Clearance System (VECS). The MFA 
pilot will be open only to those who have requested and established 
a Vessel Agency Account type within ACE, as described in this 
notice. More information about the MFA pilot will be made publicly 
available in a subsequent Federal Register notice and on CBP's 
website.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

A. Vessel Agency Portal Account

    The ACE Vessel Agency Portal Account will provide vessel owners or 
operators, or their authorized agents, with access to ACE and the 
ability to submit electronically vessel entrance and clearance 
information through the Vessel Entrance and Clearance System (VECS) as 
part of the MFA pilot, as well as special permit data associated with a 
carrier's International Maritime Organization (IMO) number (or other 
unique vessel ID number), i.e., Entrance and Clearance Reports.\2\ The 
ACE Vessel Agency Portal Account will only be available to vessel 
owners or operators, or authorized agents, which are either a U.S.-
based entity or have a U.S.-based address (P.O. boxes not allowed) for 
enforcement purposes.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ See, e.g., 19 CFR 4.7(b)(4)(ii)(A) and 4.7a(c)(4)(x).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Vessel owners or operators, or authorized agents, who do not have 
existing ACE portal accounts will be required to submit an ACE 
application form and apply for an ACE Vessel Agency Portal Account, as 
explained in Section B.1 below. Existing ACE Portal Account owners 
wishing to request an ACE Vessel Agency Portal Account should follow 
instructions in Section B.2 below. Both new and existing ACE account 
holders must agree to the ``Terms and Conditions for Account Access of 
the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Portal.'' See 72 FR 27632 
(May 16, 2007) and 73 FR 38464 (July 7, 2008). New ACE users will be 
prompted to accept these Terms and Conditions during the application 
process.

B. Establishing a Vessel Agency Account

1. New ACE Portal Account Owner
    Vessel owners or operators, or authorized agents who do not have an 
existing ACE Portal Account may apply for a Vessel Agency Account 
according to the instructions online at: https://www.cbp.gov/trade/automated/getting-started/using-ace-secure-data-portal. Applicants will 
be required to complete an application at https://www.cbp.gov/document/guidance/ace-secure-data-portal-account-application; provide the 
``Corporate Information'' and ``ACE Account Owner'' information listed 
below; certify that the applicant has read and agrees to the Terms and 
Conditions; and, submit the application to [email protected] 
by clicking the Submit By Email button at the bottom of the form. The 
account validation process will begin once all steps have been 
completed.
    Corporate Information:

(1) Company Name
(2) Company Officer Name
(3) Company Officer Title
(4) DUNS Number (optional)
(5) Company Organizational Structure
(6) End of Fiscal Year (month and day)
(7) U.S. Mailing Address (P.O. box not allowed)
(8) Vessel Agency Company Name
(9) Vessel Agency Identifier (EIN, IR, CBP Assigned Number)

    ACE Account Owner:

(1) Name
(2) Date of Birth
(3) Email Address
(4) Telephone Number
(5) Fax Number (optional)
(6) Address (if the Account Owner's Address differs from the Corporate 
Address provided above)


[[Page 43280]]


    Once the applicant completes and submits the Vessel Agency Portal 
Account application, the applicant will receive an email message 
confirming the submission of the application. This email will also 
direct the applicant to log on to ACE to complete the account set up 
process and access the ACE Vessel Agency Portal Account.\3\ Applicants 
who do not receive an email message within 24 hours should contact the 
ACE Account Service Desk by calling 1-866-530-4172, selecting option 1, 
then option 2, or by emailing [email protected] for assistance.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \3\ Establishing an ACE Vessel Agency Portal Account does not 
automatically provide access to the ACE Portal Account features for 
importers. Applicants wishing to establish an ACE Portal Account 
should submit an application by clicking on the ``Apply for an 
Account'' link located under the ACE Secure Data Portal sidebar on 
the following website: http://www.cbp.gov/trade/automated.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. Existing ACE Portal Account Owners
    Parties with existing ACE Portal Accounts may request a Vessel 
Agency Portal Account through their established ACE Portal Accounts. 
For these accounts, an account owner may establish access to the Vessel 
Agency Portal Account functionality according to the instructions on 
the following website: https://www.cbp.gov/trade/automated/getting-started/portal-managing.
    In order to request Vessel Agency Portal Account access, the 
account owner will be asked to provide the following information:
    Corporate Information:

(1) Vessel Agency Company Name
(2) Vessel Agency Identifier (EIN, IR, CBP Assigned Number)
(3) Other Company Names (optional)
(4) U.S. Mailing Address (P.O. box not allowed)
(5) Company Telephone (optional)
(6) Website Address (optional)

    Contact Information:

(1) Name
(2) Date of Birth (optional)
(3) Address (optional)
(4) Email Address (optional)
(5) Telephone Number (optional)
(6) Fax Number (optional)

    Once the existing ACE Account Owner completes the process, the 
Vessel Agency Portal Account will be created and the account owner will 
be able to access the Vessel Agency Portal Account functionality.

IV. Decommissioning the ACE Cartman and Lighterman Account Types

    As noted above, the Cartman and Lighterman ACE Portal Accounts were 
announced in a Federal Register notice published on October 18, 2007. 
See 72 FR 59105 (Oct. 18, 2007). However, these two accounts were not 
used by the public. Accordingly, these two accounts will not be 
included in the migration to the modernized ACE system and will be 
decommissioned as of August 19, 2022. Beginning on that day, these 
accounts will no longer be accessible. For further information, please 
contact [email protected].

V. Test Duration

    Except as stated below, the modification of the ACE Portal Account 
Test announced in this notice regarding the creation of the Vessel 
Agency Portal Account is effective on July 20, 2022; the 
decommissioning of the Cartman and Lighterman Portal Accounts is 
effective on August 19, 2022. This modified test will continue until it 
concludes by way of announcement published in the Federal Register. 
After the testing of the modified test concludes, an evaluation will be 
conducted and the results of that evaluation will be published in the 
Federal Register and the Customs Bulletin, as required by section 
101.9(b)(2) of the CBP regulations (19 CFR 101.9(b)(2)).

VI. Comments

    All interested parties are invited to comment on any aspect of this 
modification of the ACE Portal Account Test for the duration of the 
test. CBP requests comments and feedback on all aspects of this 
modification, including the design, conduct, and implementation of the 
modification, in order to determine whether to modify, alter, expand, 
limit, continue, end, or fully implement this modification.

VII. Paperwork Reduction Act

    The Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3507(d)) 
requires that CBP consider the impact of paperwork and other 
information collection burdens imposed on the public. An agency may not 
conduct, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of 
information unless the collection of information displays a valid 
control number assigned by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). 
The ACE Vessel Agency Portal Account application has been approved by 
OMB in accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act 
(44 U.S.C. 3507) and assigned OMB control number 1651-0105. The 
information collection conducted under 19 CFR part 4, including VECS 
under OMB control number 1651-0019, has been submitted to OMB for 
review and approval in accordance with the requirements of the 
Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3507).

VIII. Confidentiality

    All data submitted and entered into ACE is subject to the Trade 
Secrets Act (18 U.S.C. 1905) and is considered confidential, except as 
otherwise provided by law. Electronic Export Information (EEI) is also 
subject to the confidentiality provisions of 15 CFR 30.60. As stated in 
previous notices, participation in the ACE Portal Account Test or any 
of the previous ACE tests is not confidential and upon a written 
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, a name(s) of an approved 
participant(s) will be disclosed by CBP in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 
552.

IX. Misconduct Under the Test

    A test participant may be subject to civil and criminal penalties, 
administrative sanctions, liquidated damages, or discontinuance from 
participation in the ACE Portal Account Test, as modified by this 
notice, for any of the following:
    (1) Failure to follow the terms and conditions of this test;
    (2) Failure to exercise reasonable care in the execution of a 
participant's obligations;
    (3) Failure to abide by applicable laws and regulations that have 
not been waived; or
    (4) Failure to deposit duties, taxes or fees in a timely manner.
    If the Director of the Entry Summary, Accounts, and Revenue 
Division (ESAR) finds that there is a basis for discontinuing test 
participation privileges, the Director of ESAR will send a written 
notice to the test participant, which proposes the discontinuance with 
a description of the facts or conduct warranting the action. The test 
participant can appeal the Director's decision in writing within 10 
calendar days of receipt of the written notice. The appeal must be 
submitted to the Executive Director, Trade Transformation Office (TTO), 
Office of Trade, by emailing [email protected].
    The Executive Director will issue a decision in writing on the 
proposed action within 30 working days after receiving a timely filed 
appeal from the test participant. If no timely appeal is received, the 
proposed notice becomes the final decision of CBP as of the date that 
the appeal period expires. A proposed discontinuance of a test 
participant's privileges will not take effect unless the appeal process 
under this paragraph has been concluded with a written decision adverse 
to the test participant.

[[Page 43281]]

    In the case of willful misconduct or when public health, interest, 
or safety so requires, the Director of ESAR may immediately discontinue 
the test participant's privileges upon written notice to the test 
participant. The notice will contain a description of the facts or 
conduct warranting the immediate action. The test participant will be 
offered the opportunity to appeal the Executive Director's decision 
within ten calendar days of receipt of the written notice providing for 
immediate discontinuance. The appeal must be submitted to the Executive 
Director, TTO, Office of Trade, by emailing [email protected]. The 
immediate discontinuance will remain in effect during the appeal 
period. The Executive Director will issue a decision in writing on the 
discontinuance within fifteen working days after receiving a timely 
filed appeal from the test participant. If no timely appeal is 
received, the notice becomes the final decision of CBP on the date that 
the appeal period expires.

    Dated: July 14, 2022.
AnnMarie R. Highsmith,
Executive Assistant Commissioner, Office of Trade.
[FR Doc. 2022-15441 Filed 7-19-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-14-P