Advance Commercial Information – Marine Mode

Data Requirements

Marine Cargo Report – SO83

The marine carrier, or its agent, prepares and transmits the Marine Cargo Report (SO83) to the CBSA through Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). The Marine Cargo Report must be transmitted electronically to the CBSA at least 24 hours before loading the cargo at a foreign port (not including the U.S.). For cargo loaded in the U.S., the Cargo Report must be transmitted at least 24 hours before arrival. If the duration of the voyage is less than required ACI cargo timeframe, the Cargo Report must be transmitted before departure of the vessel.

For additional information on cargo pre-arrival procedures, refer to D3-5-2 Marine Cargo – Import Movements.

The following provides information on ACI Marine Cargo Reports (SO83) to assist clients in meeting CBSA requirements:

• Cargo Control Number
• Detailed Commodity Descriptions
• Bulk and Break-bulk Cargo
  • Definitions
  • Application and Process for Break-Bulk Cargo
• Supplementary Data Required Indicator
• Consignee
  • Transmitting "To Order” shipments
  • Non-Resident Importer
  • Moving Company (Personal Effects)
• In-Transit Shipments

Cargo Control Number (CCN)

The Cargo Control Number (CCN) is a number assigned to a document, which consists of a CBSA-approved carrier code followed by a unique reference number assigned by the Carrier. The CCN is the identifying reference number of the Marine Cargo Report (SO83).

The CCN is a unique number and cannot be re-used for a period of three years. As per the Transportation of Goods Regulations, the three-year period commences on the first day of January following the calendar year during which the goods were transported.

The CCN should reflect the CBSA-approved carrier code of the marine carrier that is responsible for reporting the goods. The format for a CCN is:

First four characters: Carrier Code
Remaining characters: unique reference number assigned by the carrier or his representative

Detailed Commodity Descriptions

A detailed commodity description is a clear and concise description of an item. The description should be in plain language and be detailed enough to allow the CBSA to identify the size, shape, and characteristics of the commodity. Only the commodity description should be included in this field of the EDI transmission. Information not relevant to the commodity description, e.g. type of packaging, carrier disclaimers, etc., should not be transmitted in the commodity description field.

The descriptions in the table below are not acceptable and may result in "Hold for Examination" or "Hold for More Information" notices. Unacceptable descriptions include: freight of all kinds (FAK); said to contain (STC); shippers load stow and count (SLAC); general merchandise and other similar vague descriptions. A less detailed description will be accepted from the marine carrier if the complete and accurate description is being provided in a Supplementary Cargo Report from the freight forwarder.

The following list is a guide to acceptable and unacceptable descriptions. This list is not exhaustive and will continue to expand as acceptable descriptions are further refined.

Not Acceptable	Acceptable
Apparel Wearing Apparel Ladies' Apparel Men's Apparel	Clothing Shoes Footwear Jewellery (may include watches)
Appliances	Kitchen Appliances Industrial Appliances Heat Pump
Auto parts Parts	New Auto parts Used Auto parts
Caps	Baseball Caps Blasting Caps Bottle Caps Hub Caps
Chemicals, hazardous Chemicals, non-hazardous	Actual Chemical Name (not brand name) Or U.N. HAZMAT Code Identifier #
Electronic Goods Electronics	Computers Consumer Electronics, Telephones Electronic Toys (can include Game boys, Game Cubes, Dancing Elmo Doll, etc.) Personal/Household Electronics (e.g. PDAs, VCRs, TVs)
Equipment	Industrial Equipment, Oil Well Equipment, Automotive Equipment, Poultry Equipment, etc.
Flooring	Wood Flooring, Plastic Flooring, Carpet, Ceramic Tile, Marble Flooring
Foodstuffs	Oranges Fish Packaged Rice, Packaged Grain, Bulk Grain
Iron	Iron Pipes, Steel Pipes
Steel	Iron Building Material, Steel Building Material
Leather Articles	Saddles Leather Handbags Leather Jackets, Shoes
Machinery	Metal Working Machinery Cigarette Making Machinery
Machines	Sewing Machines Printing Machines
Pipes	Plastic Pipes PVC Pipes Steel Pipes Copper Pipes
Plastic Goods	Plastic Kitchenware, Plastic House ware, Industrial Plastics Toys, New/Used Auto Parts
Polyurethane	Polyurethane Threads Polyurethane Medical Gloves
	Personal Effects Household Goods
Rubber Articles	Rubber Hoses Tires Toys Rubber Conveyor Belts
Rods	Welding Rods Rebar Aluminum Rods Reactor Rods
Scrap	Plastic Scrap Aluminum Scrap Iron Scrap
STC (Said to Contain) General Cargo FAK (Freight of All Kinds) "No Description"
Tiles	Ceramic Tiles Marble Tiles
Tools	Hand Tools Power Tools Industrial Tools
Wires	Electric Wires Auto Harness Coiled Wire (Industrial)

Bulk and Break-bulk Cargo

Definitions

The CBSA defines bulk cargo as "goods that are loose or in mass, such that they are confined only by the permanent structures of a vessel, without intermediate containment or intermediate packaging." Bulk cargo is composed of either: free flowing articles such as oil, grain, coal, ore and the like, which generally must be shoveled, pumped, blown, scooped or forked in handling; or uniform cargo that stows as solidly as bulk cargo and requires mechanical handling for lading and discharging.

To be classified as bulk, the cargo must not be containerized and must be easily identifiable as laden on the vessel. Any bundling of the cargo must only be for the purposes of securing the cargo. The CBSA's definition of bulk cargo is harmonized with the United States Customs and Border Protection's (U.S. CBP) definition for bulk cargo. Therefore, carriers who report their cargo as bulk to U.S. CBP will report the same cargo as bulk to the CBSA.

Break-bulk cargo is defined as cargo that is not containerized and that cannot be classified as "bulk" cargo under the above definition, but which is otherwise packaged and bundled.

The difference between bulk and break-bulk cargo is based not only on the type of cargo, but also on the way in which the cargo is stowed or loaded. The 24-hour rule does not apply to exempt break-bulk cargo.

Application and Process

A carrier of break-bulk cargo may apply to the CBSA for an authorization. Requests for this authorization must be made by the carrier on their letterhead and should be forwarded to the Commercial Unit at aci-ipec@cbsa-asfc.gc.ca

Information to be provided in the request for authorization includes:

• the name and address of the applicant and of the marine carrier (if not the applicant);
• the source and list of the goods;
• the ports of departure of the vessels;
• a list of all the ports of call of the vessels;
• the means of packaging or bundling of the goods;
• the number of the vessels;
• name of the vessels;
• the International Maritime Organization number (IMO) assigned to the vessels; and
• the names and addresses of the shippers, importers and Business Number if applicable (identify any who are members of Partners in Protection).

Carriers who have applied to U.S. CBP for a break-bulk authorization for the same goods should also provide a copy of U.S. CBP's authorization with their request.

Carriers with an exemption already in place with the CBSA do not need to reapply; yearly communication with the client will take place in regards to their exemption status.

If, at any time during the year, the information originally provided on the application changes or requires updating (e.g. ports of departure of the vessel, ports of call of the vessel, name of the vessels, etc.), the carrier must inform the Commercial Unit at this e‑mail address: aci-ipec@cbsa-asfc.gc.ca. 

Supplementary Data Required Indicator

A "Y" or "N" indicator on the Marine Cargo Report informs the CBSA that further information is forthcoming in the form of a Supplementary Cargo Report (SO687). 

Consignee

Transmitting "To Order" Shipments

The CBSA acknowledges that "To Order" in the consignee field is a common business practice. Therefore, the CBSA will accept "To Order"; "To Order of Shipper"; or "To Order of Bank”; or "Other Named Entity" in the consignee field provided the name and address of the owner or owner's representative is transmitted in the Notify Party loop.

To help clarify, the following examples illustrate the CBSA's requirements:

Example 1: "To Order" and "To Order of Shipper"

The CBSA will accept "To Order" and "To Order of Shipper" in the consignee name field. The address information, city name, and country code are mandatory fields for the consignee and ideally the Shipper's coordinates would be repeated. However, the CBSA will accept terms such as "Same as Shipper"; "See Above"; etc., in the address information field and city name.

The country code must be reported as a two alpha ISO 3166 Country Code. The name and address of the owner or owner's representative would be provided in the Notify Party loop. The delivery address, if different, would be reported in the Delivery Address loop.

Example 2: "To Order of Bank or Other Named Entity"

The name of the bank or the named entity would be reported in the consignee name field. Again, because the address information, city name, and country code are mandatory fields, the complete address of the bank, or other named entity, would be reported in the consignee name and address fields. The ultimate consignee's name and address would be reported in the Notify Party loop. The delivery address, if different, would be reported in the Delivery Address loop.

Non-Resident Importer as Consignee

The CBSA will accept a non-resident importer name and address in the consignee name and address field. However, a Canadian name and address must also be reported in the delivery address field.

Moving Company (Personal effects)

When personal effects are being imported into Canada the ultimate consignee is always required. The name of the moving company could be provided in the Notify Party field.

In-Transit Shipments

Contract of carriage ends in the U.S.
For this scenario, goods are travelling to Canada by ship and will then travel by truck or rail to the U.S. under the marine carrier's bond. The in transit indicator would be provided. The ultimate U.S. consignee name and address would be provided in the consignee name and address fields.

Goods are in transit to the U.S. but the carrier's contract of carriage ends in Canada
Even if the contract of carriage ends in Canada, the CBSA requires that all carriers who are aware that the shipment is in transit, report their cargo as per scenario one above, with the in transit indicator.

The CBSA acknowledges that if the contract of carriage ends in Canada, carriers are not always aware that the shipment is in transit. It would therefore be difficult in these situations for the CBSA to demand that the carrier report the shipment as an in transit when they do not have information or knowledge that the goods will be leaving Canada. If this is the case, the requirements differ based on whether Supplementary Cargo Report(s) were involved.

• If there were no Supplementary Cargo Report(s):
  On the cargo report, the import indicator would be accepted. The ultimate U.S. consignee name and address would be provided in the consignee name and address field. A Canadian name and address would also be reported in the delivery address loop. This may be a warehouse or rail yard. If the carrier is aware that this shipment is an in transit but their system will not accept the code, the words ‘in transit' would be reported in the remarks field.
• If there were a Supplementary Cargo Report(s): 
  The cargo report would be coded as an import. The shipper and consignee would be reported as the freight forwarder.
  
  The Supplementary Cargo Report(s) would be coded as an in transit. The ultimate shipper would be reported in the shipper name and address fields. The ultimate U.S. consignee would be reported in the consignee name and address field.