The U.S. Customs Services have amended the Customs Regulations with effective from December 2nd, 2002 regarding 24-hour Advance Manifest Policy and the rule has been published in the Customs Federal Register (CFR)

  The Customs Regulations requires all ocean carriers or non-vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC) to submit      accurate presentation of certain manifest to US Customs at least 24 hours prior to lading at the foreign port if that vessel is      calling a US port direct.

  Scope of Application:
     The regulations not only apply all vessels that will call at a US port but also remaining on board the vessel for subsequent      discharge at a non-US port.

  Effective Date:
     The effective date of the new regulations is December 2. There will be a grace period of 60 days (ending January 30th,      2003).Penalties for noncompliance (except for fraud) will not be imposed until February 1, 2003.

  Details of cargo manifest must be based on actual declaration of cargo by the shipper, and must be submitted to Hatsu's      documentation desk no later than the cut off deadline at cargo origin. The Required Data Elements in M/F are:

     1. The last foreign port before the vessel departs for US;
     2. The carrier's SCAC code for each carrier (including each NVOCC);
     3. The carrier-assigned voyage number;
     4. The date the vessel is scheduled to arrive at the first US port in Customs territory;
     5. The numbers and quantities from the carrier's ocean bills of lading, either master or house;
     6. The first foreign port(place) where the carrier takes possession of the cargo destined to the United States;
     7. A precise cargo description(or the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) numbers to the 6-digit level which is
          received from shipper;
     8. The shipper's complete name and address from all bills of lading;
     9. The complete name and address of the consignee or the owner or owner's representative from all bills of lading;
     10.The vessel name, country of documentation and official vessel number assigned by International Marine Organization;
     11.The foreign port where the cargo is laden on board;
     12.Internationally recognized hazardous material code when such materials are being shipped;
     13.Container numbers(for containerized cargo); and
     14.The seal numbers for all seals affixed to containers.)

  Under the rule, non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC) as a manifesting party having such a bond and electing      to provide cargo manifest information to Customs electronically 24 or more hours before the related cargo is laden aboard      the vessel at the foreign port. Otherwise, a non-vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC) as a common carrier      that does not operate the vessels by which the ocean transportation is provided, would be considered a shipper in its      relationship with an ocean common carrier.

  Failure to provide the required information in the time period prescribed may result in the delay of a permit to unlade      and/or the assessment of civil      monetary penalties or claims for liquidated damages.

  Effective sailings as below:
     Trans Pacific trade:
     1. TPS EAGLE 0186-012
     2. HTW DELUXE 0237-033
     3. WAE DIAMOND 0035-032
     4. CPN HSH UBIN 0037-024
     5. AUE FAITH I 0136-082
     6. NUE RENOWN 0044-053

Hatsu Marine Limited has enrolled and is a Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) certified carrier.

Further information on this topic may be found at www.worldshipping.org or www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/import/carriers/24hour_rule