US New Regulations Pile Up for Strict Scrutiny! Speculative Channels Are Blocked, and the Spring of Traditional Trade Is Quietly Arriving!
Created on 07.03
Recently, many cross-border e-commerce sellers focusing on the US route have encountered major issues:
Cargo is directly detained upon arrival due to failed declarations. Customs brokers that have been partners for years have had their licenses revoked, and small shipments can no longer use simplified customs clearance.
Old methods like piggybacking on IORs and under-declaring cargo value have all failed, resulting in widespread port congestion, returns, and hefty fines.
Source: Online Media
US customs regulations will only become stricter. The path of low-cost shipping through non-compliant channels is completely unviable.
In contrast, traditional general trade with complete documentation and formal declarations is less likely to be detained or fined, making it the most secure choice for shipments to the US.
I. Multiple new US regulations take effect simultaneously, completely eliminating tolerance for errors in US customs clearance.
1. IOR importer scrutiny, all shared affiliations are void.
This year, US Customs is strictly reviewing IOR qualifications. Importers must have a US-registered entity, a valid tax ID, and a real operating address. Shell companies, shared affiliations, and offshore affiliations for IORs are all invalid.
If there are any issues with IOR qualifications, the entire container of goods will be directly detained. All shipments under the same IOR will be implicated, leading to indefinite customs clearance delays.
Source: Online Media
! Common pitfalls
Many sellers, for the sake of convenience, share generic IORs provided by freight forwarders, or their IOR business scope doesn't match their shipped products. Mixing multiple IORs without pre-verifying unified tax numbers and registration information can lead to account suspension upon system detection of anomalies. If even one shipment within a shared IOR violates regulations, everyone's containers will be held, leading to cascading losses.
√ Correct and compliant practices
Stop sharing or piggybacking on IORs. Choose a legitimate IOR with a complete US entity registration that matches your products. Before shipping, have the customs broker verify the IOR's business category to ensure product codes, goods, and importer qualifications correspond one-to-one, preventing cargo detention from the source.
2. Over 800 customs broker licenses revoked
Customs has concentrated its efforts on rectifying non-compliant customs brokers at major ports like Los Angeles, Long Beach, and New York, revoking over 800 broker licenses at once.
Many small freight forwarders and specialized lines have ceased operations. Cargo already at sea has no one to declare it, leading to significant increases in storage fees, demurrage charges, and vessel change costs. Cross-border e-commerce supply chains relying solely on small logistics providers have been directly disrupted.
For the full "revocation list," please add
Zhongnan Whale Navigation International Account Manager Kayl: 15876779555 (WeChat/Phone)
Or obtain it at the following address:https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/06/10/2026-11565/notice-of-revocation-of-customs-brokers-licenses
! Common pitfalls
Focusing solely on low prices and long-term cooperation with small, unlicensed customs brokers or specialized lines. Simultaneously connecting with multiple fragmented customs clearance channels without a fixed, compliant declaration party. Once the license of a cooperating customs broker is revoked, there will be no one to handle the goods in transit.
√ Correct and compliant practices
Long-term, stable cooperation with reputable customs brokerage service providers holding valid licenses and operating at ports. Prioritize partners familiar with complete general trade documentation, F865, and online filing rules. Avoid frequent changes in customs clearance channels to prevent declaration gaps.
3. Offshore IORs can no longer use T11 simplified clearance for small shipments.
Previously, small shipments with a value under $2500 could use T11 simplified declaration, a common channel for cross-border consolidated cargo.
New regulations clearly state that offshore IORs cannot use this channel. All shipments must undergo complete and formal customs clearance, requiring more documentation and incurring higher costs for small shipments.
Image source: Online media
! Common pitfalls
Continuing with old habits, attempting simplified declaration for small shipments. Failing to prepare contracts, invoices, and certificates of origin in advance, and then scrambling to provide documents upon arrival, missing the declaration deadline and incurring demurrage fines.
√ Correct and compliant practices
Regardless of cargo value, all shipments will undergo formal and complete customs clearance procedures, matching the full set of traditional trade documents. Prepare all documents before shipment, do not seek convenience through simplified channels, and avoid the risk of cargo detention.
4. F865 system automatically verifies; incorrect information will directly block the cargo.
The Customs Declaration System has added an F865 automatic verification function. The system automatically checks the IOR's business scope, product codes, and product compliance certificates. If any of these three pieces of information are inconsistent, the goods will be directly intercepted, and on-site supplementary materials or document modifications will not be allowed. Pre-screening eliminates post-rectification.
Type | F865 Verification | 5H Inspection | 9H Inspection |
Inspection Stage | Pre/During Declaration | Post-Declaration | Post-Declaration |
Verification Object | Importer Qualification + HTS Code | Declaration Information + Actual Goods | Importer + Consignee Entity Information |
Inspection Method | System Automatic Verification | Document Review + Unpacking | Document Review |
Inspection Consequences | Directly Reject Declaration | Detain Goods | Detain Goods |
Key Points | "Goods + Person" Binding Verification | "Document-Goods Consistency" Review | "Entity Legitimacy" Review |
! Common Pitfalls
Mixing multiple product categories for shipment under the same IOR; product testing certificate header inconsistent with the importer; arbitrarily filling in product names, misclassifying product codes, not pre-checking declaration information, leading to direct rejection after submission with no remedy.
√ Correct and Compliant Practices
Establish a compliance file for each product, matching product codes with the IOR's business scope and corresponding testing certificates; uniformly verify all information on the bill of lading, invoice, code, and certificate before shipment to ensure complete consistency and prevent system interception.
Starting from July 8th, consumer goods must complete eFiling registration online.
Categories such as home appliances, home furnishings, clothing, and children's products require online product certificate electronic registration before shipment. Goods without registration will be immediately detained upon arrival at the port, and the probability of inspection will significantly increase. Lack of compliance documents will essentially prevent customs clearance.
Image Source: Online Media
! Common Pitfalls
Performing online registration temporarily close to the sailing date, with registered models and shipment batches inconsistent with actual shipments; borrowing other companies' product certificates, where the certificate holder is inconsistent with the IOR, leading to direct invalidation of registration.
√ Correct and Compliant Practices
For goods falling under controlled categories, complete online registration 1-2 weeks in advance, ensuring consistency in product models, batches, and importer headers; obtain product testing certificates independently and do not use others' qualifications for declaration.
II. Reasons for Continuous Policy Tightening: Industry Standardization is a Long-Term Trend
1. Strict investigation of under-reporting of货值 (value of goods) and tax evasion to plug loopholes in import tax revenue regulation;
2. Clean up shell importers and non-compliant customs brokers that lack physical presence and risk control, and hold the importing entity directly responsible for any issues.
3. Comprehensively promote online digital declaration, proactively identify compliance risks, and reduce pressure on port manual inspection.
Source: Online Media
III. The industry is undergoing a major reshuffle, with traditional trade emerging as the optimal solution.
A series of new regulations are tightening step by step, essentially eliminating informal processes and incomplete documentation in grey shipping methods.
The issues of cargo detention and fines mentioned above are fundamentally caused by the lack of transparency and incomplete documentation in the trade chain.
Legitimate traditional general trade can provide a full set of contracts, packing lists, invoices, and certificates of origin, paired with a compliant local IOR, fully meeting the declaration requirements for F865 and online filing, thereby reducing inspection and detention risks from the source.
Source: Online Media
IV. Key concerns in traditional trade, with two major shipping challenges hindering development.
1. Tight space during peak season, rolled containers, and lost customers.
During peak shipping periods for the US route, market space is scarce. Temporary bookings not only increase freight costs but also frequently result in rolled containers due to overselling.
Once the vessel schedule is delayed, overdue declaration of goods upon arrival at the port will result in penalties from customs. Stable and reliable port booking resources are essential for a complete and compliant shipping process.
Source: Online Media
2. Freight rates fluctuate daily, making it difficult to estimate profits when taking orders.
The prices of spot market ocean freight are unstable, making it difficult for sellers to predict subsequent shipping costs when quoting to overseas customers.
High quotes can easily lead to lost orders, while low quotes can result in direct losses once freight costs increase. It is difficult for companies to plan their monthly logistics budgets, and there is no surplus capital reserved for compliance rectification or demurrage standby expenses.
For North America shipments, contact Zhongnan Jinghang International Kayl: 15876779555 (WeChat/phone same number) 👇
V. Compliant space booking solutions, a one-stop resolution for risks under new policies
Addressing the common ocean shipping challenges faced by cross-border e-commerce businesses and in conjunction with current US compliance policies, Zhongnan Jinghang International has long-term contracts with leading shipping companies to provide port booking services suitable for regular full container shipments, along with a complete compliant trade process. This reduces losses from customs clearance delays and documentation errors from the logistics end.
1. Long-term guaranteed space from leading shipping companies, stable shipping schedules to avoid overdue penalties
1) Long-term cooperation with four major mainstream shipping companies: Maersk, ZIM, COSCO, and OOCL, holding fixed, high-quality space quotas;
2) Full coverage of all ports and routes on the US West and East coasts, with the ability to match the advantages of each shipping company's routes based on cargo and timeliness requirements;
3) Guaranteed capacity during peak seasons: During market space shortages or vessel oversales, cooperative clients are prioritized for backup space allocation, preventing container rollovers that lead to delayed cargo arrival at the port and eliminating customs fines for overdue declarations, thereby meeting the strict declaration time requirements of new regulations.
2. Fixed pricing per month, transparent costs for confident order acceptance
1) A complete freight quote will be uniformly published each month, with all basic ocean freight and regular surcharges clearly listed. There will be no temporary price increases or hidden fees during the cooperation period;
2) Benefits for cross-border e-commerce sellers: Lock in full-month ocean freight costs at the beginning of the month, accurately calculate product quotes, and avoid losses from unexpected freight rate hikes; stable logistics budgets also free up sufficient funds for compliance investments such as IOR audits and product online filings.
Source: Online Media
3) Fixed freight costs allow businesses to focus on perfecting customs documentation compliance without worrying about market fluctuations, suitable for long-term stable shipping plans.
3. Full-process supporting services, streamlining the compliant traditional trade chain.
Provide port closing reminders, bill of lading verification, and customs declaration document coordination services, seamlessly integrating with the full documentation process of traditional trade.
Source: Online Media
The team is familiar with the latest US declaration rules. We verify document information before shipment to identify potential system errors such as discrepancies in product codes and IOR headers, reducing the probability of cargo detention upon arrival. This achieves integrated risk control for trade, shipping, and customs clearance, avoiding the policy pitfalls mentioned earlier.
For shipments to North America, please contact Kayl at Zhongnan Jinghang International: 15876779555 (WeChat/Phone same number) 👇
VI. Common questions from small and medium-sized sellers, addressing shipping concerns.
1. We don't ship a large volume each month, can we still get a monthly fixed price for space booking?
As long as there is a stable monthly shipping plan, we can cooperate with both large and small container types, with no high minimum volume requirements. This is also applicable to small and medium-sized cross-border sellers.
2. What are the advantages of booking with us through our contracted space compared to directly contacting shipping companies?
Direct contracts with shipping companies have high requirements for monthly shipping volume and corporate qualifications, which most small and medium-sized cross-border sellers cannot meet.
Zhongnan Jinghang International integrates contract resources from four leading shipping companies: Maersk, ZIM, COSCO, and OOCL. This offers lower cooperation thresholds and faster responses, while also providing guaranteed space, contract-based pricing, and pre-shipment document compliance services to meet various new US regulatory declaration requirements.
Image source: Online media
Contracted space is reserved for all US ports, ensuring ample route resources. Routes can be flexibly matched based on overseas warehouse locations for shipments.
For North America shipments, contact Zhongnan Jinghang International Kayl: 15876779555 (WeChat/phone same number) 👇
The tightening of US customs supervision is an irreversible long-term trend, and various simplified and grey customs clearance channels will continue to be restricted.
Issues such as shared IOR, using simplified channels in violation of regulations, mismatched declaration documents, and failure to complete online filings will face increasingly stringent follow-up inspections.
For the majority of small and medium-sized cross-border e-commerce businesses, a complete and compliant documentation process combined with stable and controllable port booking services are the two core advantages for doing business on the US routes.
Leveraging guaranteed space from four major shipping companies and a monthly fixed pricing model, Zhongnan Jinghang International helps you avoid customs penalties caused by shipping delays and eliminates concerns about tight space and fluctuating freight rates squeezing profits. This enables you to make compliant declarations and stably accept overseas orders.
END
Zhongnan Jinghang International
Deeply cultivating last-mile pickup, delivery, and distribution, focusing on self-operated trailers and direct local truck delivery for efficient capacity and stable end-to-end delivery.
✅ Self-operated local fleet
Directly operated trailer and truck teams in the US, Canada, and the UK for rapid pickup at ports/stations/airports and nationwide delivery with controllable transit times.
✅ One-stop last-mile pickup, delivery, and distribution
Closed-loop service covering customs clearance, container pickup, container unpacking, and delivery, with direct truck delivery without transshipment.
✅ End-to-end international ocean freight
One-stop booking, container pickup, customs clearance, and truck delivery, with seamless end-to-end service.
✅ Integrated warehousing and distribution solutions.
Full container DDP/DDU services, intelligent overseas warehouses for one-piece fulfillment in US/Canada/Mexico/UK/Europe/Vietnam.
✅ For Erjie Consolidation.
China to the world · Special offer for Chinese small parcel air freight, worry-free door-to-door delivery.
Contact Us
Leave your contact information and we will contact you as soon as possible.