AMS - Automated Air manifest System

Owned by Evan Brown (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Dec 13, 2021 by susan.alexander
5 min read

Overview

AMS is an electronic information transmission system operated by U.S Customs and Border Patrol. Per CBP Regulations, 122.48a Electronic information for air cargo required in advance of arrival, CBP must electronically receive from the inbound air carrier and, if applicable, an approved party, information concerning the incoming cargo.

For non-consolidated shipments, the incoming air carrier must transmit to CBP all of the information for the air waybill record.

For consolidated shipments: the incoming air carrier must transmit to CBP the information that is applicable to the master air waybill; and the air carrier must transmit cargo information for all associated house air waybills, unless another party electronically transmits this information directly to CBP. Additional cargo information from air carrier; split shipment.

When the incoming air carrier elects to transport cargo covered under a single consolidated air waybill on more than one aircraft as a split shipment, the carrier must report additional information for each house air waybill covered under the consolidation pertaining to the routing of the flight each house shipment, and must also provide detailed house shipment information unless this information is provided to CBP by an approved party.

CBP must receive such information no later than the time frame prescribed by 19 CFR 122.48a, paragraph b) Time frame for presenting data. (1) Nearby foreign areas. In the case of aircraft under paragraph (a) of this section that depart for the United States from any foreign port or place in North America, including locations in Mexico, Central America, South America (from north of the Equator only), the Caribbean, and Bermuda, CBP must receive the required cargo information no later than the time of the departure of the aircraft for the United States (the trigger time is no later than the time that wheels are up on the aircraft, and the aircraft is enroute directly to the United States).

How to transmit AMS Messages

Function

Steps

What happens after the AMS message is transmitted

Function

Steps

What happens after the AMS message is transmitted

File AMS entries

To file AMS for all HAWBs with a single click:

  1. Login to AC Nova & navigate to shipment page

  2. Navigate to “Customs” tab

  3. Scroll down to AMS section

  4. Click “Send AMS”
    To file AMS for single HAWB:

  1. Login to AC Nova & navigate to shipment page

  2. Scroll down to HAWBs section

  3. Search for HAWB within the grid and click HAWB link

  4. Scroll down to AMS section.

  5. Click “Send AMS”

  • If the messages are not accepted by CBP, Nova will receive an error message (FER) from CBP

  • If not, Nova will start receiving FSN/FSC 10 messages when milestones are met (i.e. MAWB Filed by carrier, Flight departed from last origin, Hold, Released etc.)

    • The HAWB AMS status is shown as “Submitted” at HAWB page.

    • MAWB AMS Submitted (within Customs tab) shows the no. of HAWBs with status as “submitted”

  • A user won’t be able to file AMS entries for a HAWB which is in submitted status. User has to either amend or cancel AMS entries

Amend AMS entries

To update AMS entries for all HAWBs with a single click:

  1. Login to AC Nova & navigate to shipment page

  2. Navigate to “Customs” tab

  3. Scroll down to AMS section

  4. Click “Send Amendment”. Select a appropriate code for amendment and click send.
    To update AMS entry for single HAWB:

  1. Login to AC Nova & navigate to shipment page

  2. Scroll down to HAWBs section

  3. Search for HAWB within the grid and click HAWB link

  4. Scroll down to AMS section.

  5. Click “Send Amendment”. Select a appropriate code for amendment and click send.

  • If the messages are not accepted by CBP, Nova will receive an error message (FER) from CBP. At this time, you may want to fix the error and retransmit messages by clicking “Send Amendment”.

Cancel AMS entries

To cancel AMS entries for all HAWBs with a single click:

  1. Login to AC Nova & navigate to shipment page

  2. Navigate to “Customs” tab

  3. Scroll down to AMS section

  4. Click “Send Cancellation”. Select a appropriate code for cancellation and click send.
    To update AMS entry for single HAWB:

  1. Login to AC Nova & navigate to shipment page

  2. Scroll down to HAWBs section

  3. Search for HAWB within the grid and click HAWB link

  4. Scroll down to AMS section.

  5. Click “Send Cancellation”. Select a appropriate code for amendment and click send.

  • If the messages are not accepted by CBP, Nova will receive an error message (FER) from CBP.

  • It’s a good practice to send a AMS query soon after the cancellation to check status of file since CBP do not provide a response to cancellation. Nova is transmitting this message automatically (i.e. after a FRX message, Nova will wait for 3 seconds and sends a FSQ/02 at HAWB level requesting for current status)

  • The HAWB AMS status is shown as Blank when AMS filing is cancelled.

Query at MAWB level

NOTE: As a broker/CFS, we won’t be authorized to receive response for all query codes. These are the query codes normally used by brokers/CFS - 04 & 01.

  1. Login to AC Nova & navigate to shipment page

  2. Navigate to “Customs” tab

  3. Scroll down to AMS section

  4. Click “Send Query”. Select a appropriate code for information and click send.

  1. If the messages are not accepted by CBP, Nova will receive an error message (FER) from CBP.

  2. For 01, CBP will send routing information. If we need to get split file details sending a FSQ/01 will trigger the information

  3. For 04, CBP will send all FSNs generated at MAWB level. i.e. FSN/1F

Query at HAWB Level

  1. Login to AC Nova & navigate to shipment page

  2. Scroll down to HAWBs section

  3. Search for HAWB within the grid and click HAWB link

  4. Scroll down to AMS section.

  5. Click “Send Query”. Select a appropriate code for information and click send.

  1. If the messages are not accepted by CBP, Nova will receive an error message (FER) from CBP.

  2. To retransmit all FSN messages for all HAWBs you can,

    1. Navigate to Main Page → “Customs” tab

    2. Scroll down to AMS section

    3. Click “Send Query (All HAWBs)”. This will send a query with code “04” for all HAWBs attached to the MAWB.

Inbound CBP Messages for AMS

Inbound Message

What happens in Nova?

Notes

Inbound Message

What happens in Nova?

Notes

FSC at HAWB level

  • FSC is usually transmitted as a response to the FSQ query send by the requestor

  • FSC 10 is also automatically transmitted by CBP when airlines files MAWB.

  • When Nova receives FSC/10, the arrival & cargo control line information is stored within Nova

  • Usually, FSC/10 is not received when shipment is split

FSN at MAWB level

  • FSN/1F is received MAWB level.

  • CBP transmits 1F when airline has departed the last foreign port.

  • When Nova receives FSN/1F, the arrival & cargo control line information is stored/updated within Nova (Same as FSC 10)

 

FSN at HAWB level

  • FSNs received at HAWB level will be for Hold, Hold release or release(1C)

  • When a HAWB receives 1C, status of the HAWB is updated as “Released”, if there is no hold on the HAWB

  • When a HAWB receives Holds, the AMS status is updated as “On Hold” irrespective of the released status.

  • Nova captures entry number from FSN/1C and is displayed on HAWB UI page.

  • When FSN/4E is received, the released status is cancelled, unless FSN/1C & FSN/4E are generated at the same time.

 

 

References

  1. https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/assets/documents/2020-Feb/ACE-Air-Import_Msg_Types_amd2_Nov2016.pdf

  2. https://www.cbp.gov/sites/default/files/assets/documents/2020-Aug/ACE-Air-Import_Msg_Line_Identifiers_2020Aug_508Compliant_0.pdf