Sefco Export Management Company, Inc. NYC, USA - Overseas Moving Specialists www.sefco-export.com
Customers, guests...
You've got an export project you have to work on.
Do you know where to start? What to look for?
Considered hiring Sefco Export for our expertise.
Work with Sefco Export for our reliability and prudent security practices.
Sefco Export's Security Review
News, notes and informal observations...
General news and features about
security matters...
Doing business in a "post 9-11" world.
Multiple checks and new security measures are in place...
...as rules continue to change and evolve.
...is a Federal Advisory Committee
with a U.S. Government Charter to promote
security cooperation between American business and private sector interests worldwide and the U.S. Department of State.
"Checkpoints are in place... at all bridges and tunnels into the city.
Checkpoint locations are subject to unannounced change...
Under Operation Atlas, the Police Department has launched a coordinated defense of the city."
[learn more]
Truckers can face delays and physical inspections at any time, anywhere.
Peruse some our our Port News Updates for the latest developments.
It is important for the public to be aware of these conditions, and to be cooperative.
Arrival time for truckers can be effected by todays hightened security measures.
"The police last night began random searches of backpacks and packages brought
into the New York City subways as officials expressed alarm about the
latest bomb incidents in the London transit system."
-- NY Times
Subject: plan for emergencies using cell phone
| -- copy of incoming email notice -- |
Please check this out. It sounds like a great idea and
might keep people safe.
" I C E "
The London incident has promoted concerns
and I share with you what one of my European friends just sent.
As long as everyone knows what ICE stands for, it is not a bad idea.
A useful thing to add to your mobile address book!
It was thought up by an ambulance man/paramedic who found that
when they went to the scenes of accidents, there were always mobile phones but they
didn't know which numbers to call. He thought that it would be a good idea if
there was a nationally recognized name to file "next of kin" under.
Following the disaster in London...
East Anglian Ambulance Service
have launched a national "In case of Emergency (ICE)" campaign.
The idea is that you store the word " I C E " in your mobile phone address book,
and against it enter the number of the person you would want to be
contacted "In Case of Emergency".
In an emergency situation ambulance and hospital staff will then be able to quickly
find out who your next of kin are and be able to contact them.
It's so simple that everyone can do it. Please think about this.
Consider emailing this to everybody in your address book; it won't take too many 'forwards'
before everybody will know about this.
This entry could save your life, or put a loved one's mind at rest.
For more than one contact name ICE1, ICE2, ICE3 etc.
Let's hope we never have to use it!
further info:
www.icecontact.com/about.htmlhow.html
Border crossing delays are becoming more common
as a result of heightened border control security measures.
Shippers can experience delays relating
to new export rules - requiring
pre-departure acceptance of paperwork,
packing lists, export declarations
(SED's are required for any US export valued over $ 2500)
and proper shipper's identification.
"Unknown" shippers face a higher likelihood of
pre-export delays, as opposed to "known" shippers (such as a manufacturer who sends
their products out of the country on a regular predictable basis).
Cargo is subject to physical inspection by Customs and Border Control officials at any time.
If a shippers paperwork is late, incomplete or questionable, it is very likely that
the export booking - for departure on the "next vessel" - can be "rolled over" to
go out on a subsequent sailing at a later time. Sefco Export will keep our customers
up to date on new conditions as they develop. Strikes, warfare, blackouts, security threats,
bad weather, steamship line schedules and a multitude of other conditions can effect the departure and arrival times of an international shipment.
For more "port news",
click here.
WRITTEN UPDATES AND STATUS REPORTS
available via email.
Sefco Export customers can stay in touch
with our main office via email
for a status report update on any existing consignment already "en route".
Informational copies of important documents are scanned and sent to the clients account via email.
It's smart to maintain a backup email account when travelling abroad.
Stay in touch: Consider getting a free hotmail account
and checking in with a local "cyber cafe" if you are travelling and want
to access a container tracking report and obtain real-time information on your consignment.
If you can not access a computer, please give our office a
c/o fax number so we can send you an informational copy of your export paperwork.
You will want to see a copy of your BL bill of lading,
in order to contact the port agent at your overseas destination.
When cargo lands overseas, consignees receive an
"arrival notice" and further instructions from the destination port agent.
All shipment confirmations, rate quotations, and instructions are placed in writing
and are properly archived as required by law.
"The Pallet VACIS is a self-contained stationary gamma-ray scanning system that captures images of pallets and large pieces of freight in customs commercial examination facilities..."
"SAIC's VACIS inspection systems are gamma ray-based systems designed to non-intrusively inspect the contents of trucks, containers and cargo for purposes of manifest verification, contraband interception, and explosives, weapons or threat identification."
Important Note, from Sefco Export Management Company, Inc.
The cost for customs entry/clearance does not include duty (if any), storage, accessorial or other collect charges.
The cost for customs clearance does not include any additional
cet-customs examination terminal x-ray or physical examination fees -
if and when so ordered by the Customs Authorities at origin or destination.
The cost for CET customs examination terminal fees remains for the account of the
consignee/property owner. They should be paid directly by the consignee.
If Sefco Export, or its agents, advance cash funds for any account -
to cover customs terminal related charges, cod collect chargebacks
or other accessorial fees, a min. $125 handling fee plus 10% of any costs
will be applied to the account of the customer.
See an inspection in action...
Mobile Vacis Security Examination [see: video clip]
Excerpt of internal Sefco communications, May 3rd, 2007...
JB: "Vacis exams at New York ports range from $328.00 -$450 depending on terminal
Physical exams range from $900-$1300, again depending on which container exam station they are transferred to."
PD: "...these rates seem like they keep going up..."
Note: inspection costs on LCL less than container loads are less, than the inspection costs for FCL full container loads.
According to one of our US customs brokers...
"Security Concerns Elevate the Rate of Examinations
The Customs and Border Protection Agency is charged with the task of securing our borders.
Present heightened security concerns have caused them to dramatically increase the
examination rate on importer cargo. As many of you know, X-Ray type machinery
have been deployed at the sea ports and Vacis exams are being performing on a
large number of shipments. These type of examinations are driven by the manifest
of the vessel. Each shipment is 'scored' by customs and if the total dictates an exam be
performed nothing can prevent it. One of the scoring criterion which lowers the score,
is whether an importer is a member of C-TPAT, the Customs initiative to secure
the supply chain. Although, we believe the impact to be small, Customs has promised
to elevate this weighting. We strongly recommend that you consider joining this program.
Concerning US imports - personal effects,
informal entries, CET charges if your consignment is selected for close formal inspection.
Read: [US informal customs]
online video
investigative reports
VBIED: Vehicle Borne Improvised Explosive Device
How stolen cars, and cars bought at US Auctions, wind up on the streets of Iraq... ...are being turned into bombs.
See investigative report by
KHOU Houston TV News.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Nearly 1,000 vehicles are stolen every month in Malaysia and smuggled abroad for sale to fund terrorism and criminal activities, news reports said Tuesday.
Thinking of shipping your car from the US? Selling it to someone overseas?
First - read our special section: [Scam Buster]
Immigrating to the USA? Hoping for to get a "winning spot" in the lottery?
Read [Green Card Lottery]
Safety First
Be Aware - stay up with the news
Travel Registration
What is it?
See: travelregistration.state.gov
Travel registration is a free service provided by the
U.S. Government to U.S. citizens who are traveling to, or living in, a foreign country.
Registration allows you to record information about your
upcoming trip abroad that the Department of State can use to assist you
in case of an emergency. Americans residing abroad can also get routine information
from the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.
How can the embassy or consulate assist me while I am abroad?
U.S. consular officers assist Americans who encounter serious legal,
medical, or financial difficulties. Although consular officers
cannot act as your legal counsel or representative,
they can provide the names of local attorneys and doctors, provide loans to
destitute Americans, and provide information about dangerous conditions affecting your
overseas travel or residence. Consular officers also perform non-emergency services,
helping Americans with absentee voting, selective service registration, receiving federal benefits,
and filing U.S. tax forms. Consular officers can notarize documents, issue passports, and register American
children born abroad. Most embassies and consulates have web sites with more information.
Washington, July 20. (UNI):
Customs agents have arrested a... man who was allegedly carrying 12 million dollars in
fake cashier's checks...
...was on a watch list of people trained in Afghanistan by al Qaeda, The Washington Post reported today.
"It has really alarmed a lot of people that al Qaeda may be trying to pump money into the United States for operational purposes," said one official.
This report about FAKE CHECKS was reported by the VOANews.com
"Phony checks have been the stock in trade of online fraud artists for years.
Now, the authorities say they are noticing a surge in schemes involving sophisticated counterfeiting of a different form of payment:
U.S. postal money orders.
And the fleecing of victims often begins in an e-mail inbox."
Required for all international airfreight shipments (personal effects).
"Known" shippers (regular commercial customers) may not need to sign this,
but all others ("unknown" air-shippers) will have to complete and return this form
along with 2-sets of photo id's.
Nothing hazardous will be accepted for air shipping. If you have hazardous cargo you will need to work with a HAZMAT specialist. Only non-hazardous commodities will be accepted for shipment by ocean service.
Even POV's, privately owned passenger vehicles - loaded into a container, must be rendered non-hazardous.
Vehicles loaded into ocean containers must drained of all gas,
and run until completely empty and stalled. Batteries disconnected and plugs sealed with electrical tape.
An formal attestation must be corroborated and signed. Notations are made on the
truckers paperwork. There are very specific procedures to be followed.
Our auto export specialists will give Sefco Export customers
specific information and paperwork for the immediate task at hand.
"How to become known."
For identification purposes we recommend that all Sefco Export customers send us a photocopy of their passport
(photo page) to be kept in our file. All exports valued at over $ 2500 require a SED Shippers Export Declaration,
on which your company's EIN, your passport # or social security number is shown.
Important: You may be "known" to our company, but that does not mean you are a TSA "Known Shipper".
All air cargo rates are based on the shippers being a TSA recognized "Known Shipper".
Look for our links on the "security matters" page, shown below, for further details.
Travelling by air? Are you prepared for takeoff?
Refer to the TSA Site Map
for security advise concerning travelers - Freedom of Movement -
Discover time-saving tips, assistance for special needs...
and the latest list of
prohibited and permitted items.
Operation Atlas in New York City
