Crowley Liner Services has been
notified by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) of its successful
full-company "Validation" in the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism
(C-TPAT) Program. Less than 10 percent of the approximately 9,000 individual
members in the C-TPAT program have undergone and passed the rigorous
validation audit, which can provide a host of benefits for customers.
Crowley's C-TPAT program certification and validation results in a
more secure supply chain and a reduction in customers' time-to-market
transfer of cargo from point of origin loading to delivery destination.
Shippers who are also C-TPAT program members that utilize Crowley for the
sea carrier portion of their cargo movement can expect a reduction of US
Customs targeting and inspection of their shipments upon arrival in U.S.
Ports. In the event of a random Custom's inspection, C-TPAT members will
move to the head of the line for inspection scheduling. Additionally, if
there were an emergency affecting commerce or trade infrastructure because
of a terrorist event or attack, C-TPAT members will be given first
preference in restarting trade operations.
The notification of Crowley's validation was made during a recent
international trade symposium in Miami, which was attended by CBP
Commissioner Robert Bonner. C-TPAT is a voluntary government - private
sector partnership program between U.S. Customs and stakeholders in the
worldwide supply chain. The program focuses on the protection of the
international cargo trade system from acts of terrorism, and Crowley was one
of the very first companies to be C-TPAT certified by Customs after the
program's inception.
The extensive validation of Crowley's C-TPAT program involved
Custom's personnel on-site inspection and review of all domestic and foreign
operations and verification of shore side facility and vessel physical and
procedural security, plans and audits, access controls, company security
education and training, manifest/documentation and processing, maritime
threat awareness and personnel background clearances and identification.
"Crowley has been a leader in the development of effective Maritime
Security procedures, practices and partnerships with government for many
years," said Ed Alford, Crowley's Director of Security. "Our longstanding
policy has been to fully comply, implement, monitor and maintain the highest
security standards in the industry. Safety and security are top priorities
for Crowley and are core to the way we operate and conduct our business."
There are currently over 9,000 individual members in the C-TPAT
program including: importers, terminal operators, customs brokers and
freight forwarders, sea/rail/truck and air commercial carriers and foreign
manufacturers. Less than 10 percent of program participants are fully
validated.
Crowley has participated in other Customs industry programs like the
Super Carrier Initiative Agreement (SCIA) Program, which deters and protects
cargo and vessels from contraband, narcotics and stowaways, for over 20
years. This elite program has very few members worldwide, and incorporates
baseline security standards that reflect the highest degree of due diligence
recognized by Customs.
Crowley also supports the Business Anti-Smuggling Coalition program
(BASC), which is a shipper/exporter industry coalition within many
international operation areas. All Crowley operating port terminals and
vessels meet and exceed strict US Coast Guard facility and vessel maritime
security regulations.