To help you avoid delays and maintain compliant shipments, we are sharing two important customs requirements. The first is the mandatory use of valid 6-digit HS codes and aligned cargo descriptions, which applies to shipments into the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada. The second is a new U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) rule, effective September 27, 2025, under which CBP will automatically reject manifests that do not include complete shipment details. Together, these requirements may require you to update your shipping documentation.
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Valid 6-Digit HS Codes and Accurate Cargo Descriptions (U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada)
For shipments destined to the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Canada, customs authorities require a valid 6-digit Harmonized System (HS) code. This code ensures accurate classification of your cargo and smooth customs clearance.
- Import
- FROB (Freight Remaining on Board – Vessel calling NAM ports)
- Transshipment
- In-Transit
- HS Code Declaration:
Customers must provide a valid 6-digit Harmonized System (HS) using the official HTS portal to identify and declare the accurate 6-digit HS code for cargo commodity to Customs systems. - Commodity Description:
The first line of the cargo description must reflect the true nature of the goods/cargo commodity and must be aligned with Valid HS code received from https://hts.usitc.gov/ -
New CBP Automated Rejection of Manifests (U.S. Only)
Effective September 27, 2025, CBP has implemented new procedures that will automatically reject manifests with insufficient cargo descriptions, consignee information, and/or shipper information.
- Cargo Description: A clear, accurate, and specific cargo description sufficient for CBP to identify the commodity shipped.
- Consignee Information: The name and address of the consignee to whom the cargo will be delivered.
- Shipper Information: The full company name and address identifying the foreign party initiating the shipment.
These requirements apply to all below mentioned shipments:
To maintain compliance and avoid customs-related disruptions, all cargo declarations must meet the following standards:
If HS codes or descriptions are missing or inaccurate, your shipping instructions may be rejected, and cargo may face delays, rollovers, inspections, or customs rejection. Please share this requirement with your partners at origin to ensure all shipping instructions for North America–bound cargo is compliant.
Your shipping instructions must include:
Shipments missing this information may be held at the border until corrected. For rail cargo, CPKC requires complete and accurate shipping instructions; errors or incomplete data may cause additional delays.
A CBP example list of Unacceptable vs Acceptable Cargo Descriptions can be found here for your reference
Additional details are available in the CBP Trade User Information Notice.
Support
Our team is here to help you navigate these updates. For assistance regarding:
North America regulations, please contact us at: compliance.mcsi.nam@maersk.com.
Canada regulations, please contact us at: compliance.ca.mcsi.nam@maersk.com
If you need support classifying HS codes or staying current on regulatory changes, Maersk’s Trade & Tariff Studio can help.