The United States Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) was established to protect the fastest-growing trading industry in the world from the threat of terrorism. It is a safety program that is known for successfully maintaining the economic health of the United States and also its neighbors.
CTPAT is a program established to protect as well as strengthen foreign trade and U.S. border security after 9/11. It is essential for all CTPAT certified organizations to meet program-specific security requirements. The requirements are applied to different parties involved in the trading community, including third-party logistics providers (3PLs), distribution and manufacturing facilities, and carrier partners.
CTPAT was launched in November 2001. The program now includes approximately 11,000 certified companies, which account for nearly 54% of the value of imports into the United States. This fully voluntary joint government-business partnership not only just complements supply chains but also strengthens border security.
Joining the program helps logistic companies get a proper CTPAT certification which further makes the export process easy for them and also improves their value and reputation in the market. Companies who do not have CTPAT certification but want to export their goods and services to the country usually wonder why CTPAT certification is important and how it helps to make cross-border logistics smooth. However, knowing more about the CTPAT program, its requirements, and the benefits of CTPAT certification help them make the right decision.
Why CTPAT For International Trade?
CTPAT is not just a program for supply chain security, but also one of the many tools that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection uses for improving security and international trade in the country. The goal of CTPAT is to improve border security and strengthen global supply chains for private companies.
Joining CTPAT not only just helps private companies maintain the integrity of the trading industry as well as of the shipping communities everywhere, but is also good for their business. Those companies who are part of CTPAT and have proper CTPAT certification enjoy discounts on selected fees, increased freight speeds, and a reduction in wait times. Some other things that make CTPAT beneficial and important for international trade are listed below.
- High border security
- Free flow of global trade
- Less wastage of time and risk of delays at ocean and land borders.
- Right to use lanes of FAST (Free and Safe Trade) at borders.
- C-TPAT Supply Chain Security Specialist (SCSS) assignment to the business/company.
- Freedom to skip lines of inspection and get priority processing when possible.
- C-TPAT Status Verification Interface access.
- Reduction in Customs Inspections
Need for CTPAT Certification?
CTPAT is essential for international trade. It plays an effective role in protecting global supply chains by preventing terrorist threats and enhancing border security. CTPAT Certification helps logistics companies in a variety of ways. It helps them establish a formal and strong relationship with the US Customs and Border Protection. It helps them participate in the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism and brings a variety of benefits for them.
Becoming CTPAT certified usually seems to be easy, but is a process that takes a lot of effort from the company that wants to apply for it. The company applying for the certificate has to ensure that it is eligible for it and will complete all the requirements properly and timely.
- The company applying for the certificate has to ensure that it is an active US importer or non-resident Canadian importer.
- It is essential for the company to ensure that within the past 12 months it has imported goods into the country.
- The company applying for it also needs to have a valid regular bond of import registered with the CBP. It also needs to have a US Importer of Record (IOR) number, which is active.
- They have to designate a primary cargo security officer, to ensure compliance with different CTPAT aspects.
- The private company also has to ensure that it will maintain the criteria of CTPAT supply chain security as stated in the Importer Agreement of CTPAT.
- The company also needs to have an operational office of its business in the US or Canada.
- To become CTPAT certified, the company has to complete the profile of supply chain security in the CTPAT portal.
CTPAT certification is quite different from many other types of federal compliance initiatives. It helps certified companies move ahead in the line for inspection and save time. Certified companies not just get access to FAST lanes but also have to wait less at the borders for passage.
Choosing professional companies for support helps companies get the CTPAT certification in less time. Professional companies that offer the services of providing CTPAT certification, make it easy for private companies to better know the requirements and prevent them from facing complications or any issues throughout the process.
Final Thoughts
Obtaining CTPAT certification is not easy. The process of getting the certification takes months or years. However, knowing more about the process, and its requirements and hiring experts for the application helps to make the process short and simple. The certification improves the value of the company in the trade market and helps them enjoy a variety of benefits.
