{"id":9731,"date":"2026-10-07T19:53:34","date_gmt":"2026-10-07T19:53:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cantruck.ca\/?p=9731"},"modified":"2026-10-07T19:53:36","modified_gmt":"2026-10-07T19:53:36","slug":"cbsa-issues-industry-communique-on-cargo-container-reporting-requirements","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cantruck.ca\/fr\/cbsa-issues-industry-communique-on-cargo-container-reporting-requirements\/","title":{"rendered":"CBSA Issues Industry Communique on Cargo Container Reporting Requirements"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The CBSA has published a communique to industry stakeholders focusing on advanced commercial information (ACI) and related reporting requirements for those moving cargo containers in the highway, marine and rail modes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The communique is available in both official languages below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

*** English Version \/ La version fran\u00e7aise suit ***<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) is dedicated to our mandate commitments to protect the health and safety concerns of Canadians, the economy, and to ensure the facilitation of the supply chain. The Customs Act<\/u><\/em>, <\/u><\/a>the <\/u>Reporting of Imported Goods Regulations<\/u><\/em><\/a> and the Transportation of Goods Regulations<\/u><\/em><\/a>, establish the time, manner and who is required to send Advance Commercial Information (ACI) \/eManifest data pertaining to specified goods [for import, in-transit, and Freight remaining on board (FROB)] and conveyances, entering or moving in-transit through Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This communique provides policy clarification on the reporting requirements of Cargo Containers<\/strong> under the ACI program. Its purpose is to ensure that all containers whether full, empty or part of a consolidated shipment are properly reported, allowing CBSA to conduct pre-arrival risk assessments, and ensure compliance with CBSA regulations. However, there are some exceptions and exemptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As per Memorandum D3-1-5: International commercial transportation<\/u><\/em><\/a>,<\/em> tariff items 9801.10.10<\/u><\/a>, 9801.10.20,<\/u><\/a> and 9801.10.30<\/u><\/a>  allows foreign based conveyances, containers and trailers used in the  international commercial transportation of goods or passengers to be temporarily imported into without the payment of duties or taxes. The container provision in Chapter 9801 is intended for cargo containers in international commercial transportation that are in Canada on a temporary basis only and have not or will not be sold in Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Container data for containers in international commercial transportation must be reported to the CBSA through a cargo or empty container ACI transmission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Marine:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. If the container is carrying cargo, the container number must be transmitted within the ACI cargo transmission (Service Option 83) of each shipment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. If the container is empty, an empty cargo container transmission must be transmitted (Service Option 695) to the CBSA by the carrier for each individual shipment of empty container(s).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    In Highway and Rail:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    1. If the container is carrying cargo, the container number must be transmitted within the ACI cargo transmission (Service Option 984) of each shipment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. If the container is carrying cargo under Ottawa file or\u00a0 Container Banks also known\u00a0<\/em>as Instruments of International Trade (IIT)* : that is empty shipper or importer owned containers registered under Ottawa file or with container bank numbers, which are used to transport commercial goods to and from Canada. The exception code must be reported on the conveyance data using cargo exception code (ITT02).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      For example: shipping tanks, pallets, baskets, bins, boxes, cartons, crates, gaylords, load lock\/spacers, racks, trays, totes or similar goods used to ship goods internationally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Cargo containers that are, or will be, imported into Canada for sale are not considered cargo containers in international commercial transportation and must be reported to the CBSA through an individual ACI cargo transmission and released\/accounted for with duties and taxes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      1. If the imported container is carrying cargo,\u00a0an ACI cargo transmission is required for each individual shipment within the container, as well as, an ACI cargo transmission for each individual\u00a0<\/a>shipment of container(s). Transmitting the container numbers within the shipment cargo transmission is not an acceptable means of reporting the imported container and penalties may apply.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      2. In marine, if the imported container is empty,\u00a0an ACI cargo data is required for each individual shipment of container(s) itself (Service Option 83). Transmitting\u00a0<\/a>empty cargo container data (Service Option 695) is not an acceptable means of reporting the imported container and penalties may apply.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      3. In highway and rail, an ACI cargo transmission must be submitted for each individual shipment of imported container(s) itself (Service Option 984).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      4. If the shipment is consolidated, the freight forwarder is responsible for transmitting House Bill data for each individual shipment, as well as a house bill data for each individual imported container.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        Note: For all scenarios above, a separate Cargo Control Document (CCD) is required for each container.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Reporting of cargo containers before preload\/pre-arrival allows CBSA to account for them as the trade items, asses potential risks, and maintain compliance with applicable regulations. The carriers and\/or freight forwarders or authorized agents are required to prepare and transmit the cargo container data to CBSA within the prescribed timeframes as described in the Reporting of Imported Goods Regulations<\/u><\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Carriers and freight forwarders have an obligation to be aware of the goods they are transporting into Canada in order to fulfill any legislative or regulatory program requirements. Failure to transmit the required information constitutes breach of regulatory requirements. The Agency is authorized to impose administrative monetary penalties (AMPS), issue sanctions and take any enforcement measures against the carrier and\/or freight forwarder for the non-reporting of cargo containers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Please disseminate this information to your members. The Agency will issue a customs notice and the <\/em><\/a>Memorandum D3-3-1: Freight Forwarder Pre-arrival and Reporting Requirements<\/u><\/em><\/a>, Memorandum D3-4-2: Highway pre-arrival and reporting requirements<\/u><\/em><\/a>, <\/em>Memorandum D3-5-1: Marine Pre-load\/Pre-arrival and Reporting Requirements<\/u><\/em><\/a>,<\/u><\/em> and Memorandum D3-6-6: Rail Pre-Arrival and Reporting Requirements<\/u><\/em><\/a> will be updated in accordance with the information provided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        *** Version anglaise\/La version fran\u00e7aise suit***<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        L’Agence des services frontaliers du Canada (ASFC) respecte ses engagements en mati\u00e8re de protection de la sant\u00e9 et de la s\u00e9curit\u00e9 des Canadiens, de l’\u00e9conomie et de facilitation de la cha\u00eene d’approvisionnement. La Loi sur les douanes<\/u><\/em>,<\/u><\/a> le <\/u>R\u00e8glement sur la d\u00e9claration des marchandises import\u00e9es<\/u><\/em><\/a>, le R\u00e8glement sur le transport des marchandises<\/u><\/em><\/a>  \u00e9tablie le temps, la fa\u00e7on et qui est tenu d’envoyer Information pr\u00e9alable sur les exp\u00e9ditions commerciales (IPEC)\/les donn\u00e9es du Manifeste \u00e9lectronique concernant les marchandises sp\u00e9cifi\u00e9es [pour l’importation, en transit et le fret restant \u00e0 bord (FROB)] et les moyens de transport, entrant ou se d\u00e9pla\u00e7ant en transit \u00e0 travers le Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Ce communiqu\u00e9 fournit des pr\u00e9cisions sur les exigences de d\u00e9claration des conteneurs de fret<\/strong> dans le cadre du programme IPEC. Son but est de s’assurer que tous les conteneurs, qu’ils soient pleins, vides ou parties d’une exp\u00e9dition consolid\u00e9e, soient correctement d\u00e9clar\u00e9s, ce qui permet \u00e0 l’ASFC de proc\u00e9der \u00e0 des \u00e9valuations des risques avant l’arriv\u00e9e et de s’assurer de la conformit\u00e9 aux r\u00e8glements de l’ASFC. Toutefois, certaines exceptions et exemptions existes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Conform\u00e9ment au M\u00e9morandum D3-1-5 : Le transport commercial international<\/u><\/em><\/a>, les num\u00e9ros tarifaires 9801.10.10<\/u><\/a>, 9801.10.20,<\/u><\/a> et 9801.10.30<\/u><\/a> permettent d’importer au Canada, sans paiement de droits et taxes, les moyens de transport, conteneurs ou remorques dont le point d’attache est \u00e0 l’\u00e9tranger utilis\u00e9s pour le transport commercial international. La disposition relative aux conteneurs du chapitre 9801 vise les conteneurs  utilis\u00e9s dans le transport commercial international qui sont au Canada sur une base temporaire seulement et qui n’ont pas \u00e9t\u00e9 ou ne seront pas vendus au Canada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Les donn\u00e9es relatives aux conteneurs pour le transport commercial international doivent \u00eatre d\u00e9clar\u00e9es \u00e0 l’ASFC par l’interm\u00e9diaire d’une transmission IPEC pour le fret ou les conteneurs vides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Dans le mode maritime :<\/p>\n\n\n\n