In CSMS #17-000279, US Customs has clarified the process for air split shipments:

  • CBP regulations require that all cargo arriving on split conveyances be entered in the air manifest system. The carrier is required to manifest the air waybill, in accordance with the CAMIR, as a split with the data for each conveyance and any in-bond transaction to move the cargo to the same entry port.
  • Cargo moving on the same air waybill but not declared in the ACE air manifest system as a split, is not eligible for split entry processing. As such, one entry per conveyance is required. This applies to a single house air waybill split across multiple master air waybills.
  • ACE currently does not have an edit to enforce this policy. ABI filers can determine if a carrier’s air waybill was split by submitting a cargo manifest entry release query (CQ transaction). Split air waybills will have a part indicator A, B, C, etc. in the response message.
  • It is the filer’s responsibility to ensure that cargo on a single bill of lading, moving on multiple conveyances, and not declared as a split are entered separately.