The Importer Security Filing (ISF), also known as 10+2, is a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulation that requires importers and vessel operating carriers to provide advance data electronically to CBP for in-bound ocean shipments. The main purpose of these entries is to determine the shipments with US destination in advance and ensure the safety of America’s borders.

Below information should be submitted by each ISF entry:

• Importer of record number: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Employer Identification Number (EIN), Social Security Number (SSN), or CBP assigned number of the entity liable for payment of the duties and responsible for meeting requirements incurred as a result of importation.

• Consignee Numbers: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Employer Identification Number (EIN), Social Security Number (SSN), or CBP assigned number of the individual(s) or firm(s) in the United States on whose account the merchandise is shipped.

• Seller Name & Address: Name and address of the last known entity by whom the goods are sold or agreed to be sold.

• Buyer Name & Address: Name and address of the last known entity to whom the goods are sold or agreed to be sold.

• Ship to Name & Address: Name and address of the first deliver-to party scheduled to physically receive the goods after the goods have been released from customs custody.

• Manufacturer Name & Address: Name and address of the supplier of the finished goods in the country from which the goods are leaving.

• Country of origin: Country of manufacture

• Commodity HTS Code: The number under which the commodity is classified in the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States.

• Container Stuffing Location: Name and address of the physical location where the goods were stuffed into the container.

• Consolidator Name & Address: Name and address of the party who stuffed the container or arranged for the stuffing of the container.

What happens if ISF is not filed timely or properly: [Read more...]

Telemarketing, or in fashionable words cold calling, is one of the most important tools of marketing in today’s world. Some says it’s a waste of time, while some says it’s essential in some industries. If you know the rules of cold calling, you could get terrific results.

What exactly is the definition of cold calling?
It is contacting your target audience directly. Instead of them calling or coming to you, you go to them first.

Other marketing techniques aim to get the target audience to contact to the company willingly. That’s why cold calling is tougher than other marketing tools. You are basically disturbing someone, and trying to make them listen to what you are selling, often against their will. I have made countless cold calls and here are the things I have learned. Before you pick up that phone, here are a few things to consider:

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MTS – More Than Shipping

Welcome to our company blog. As an international freight forwarder we know that no ocean can stand between us. With this blog we can further develop this concept by reaching you with updates, news and personal stories within the walls of our 5th avenue office. Our daily job is to deliver your cargo in the most cost and time efficient manner. In this blog we will deliver industry updates, news and otherwise pretty much anything between heaven and earth. The sky is not the limit for MTS.

We are a diverse work team at MTS, representing over 60 countries and 120 international ports in our New York office alone. We will bring that diversity into our blog, through our authors and their experiences.
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