Union-Transport Gets Authority to File Remote Customs Info

Union-Transport (UTi), a Rancho Dominquez, CA-based, supply-chain services provider for air and ocean-freight forwarders and customs brokers, has been granted authority by the U.S. Customs Service to file customers' customs information remotely, Roger MacFarlane, UTi's chief executive for the Americas, said Thursday.

This authority enables UTi to process and transmit entries via the Remote Location Filing (RLF) prototype. It enables a branch to file entries directly at a port where the company has brokerage office, in lieu of using an outside broker.

"This participation is essential in maintaining our nationwide reputation as a quality customs broker," MacFarlane said. "Its primary function is to serve large national customers who clear shipments in cities where we lack a brokerage presence with first-class customs clearance."

He added that the move "in no way signals that we intend to consolidate our brokerage services at one location or eliminate existing offices."

This remote-filing service applies to specific types of import freight and requires advance approval from port directors.

"Since the RLF programming is in place throughout our domestic network, any of our branches will be ready to meet any customer requirement in the future," Steve Bernstein, UTi vice president, nationwide customs brokerage, explained.