Collect the 10 data elements (seller, buyer, importer of record, consignee, manufacturer, ship-to party, country of origin, HTS-6, container stuffing location, consolidator) plus 2 carrier elements
Transmit the ISF through your ABI-certified software using the CBP CATAIR ISF message set at least 24 hours before vessel loading at origin port
Receive the ISF Accepted or ISF Rejected response transaction and resolve any CATAIR error codes before the filing deadline
Link the ISF to the eventual entry by matching the ISF Transaction Number to the cargo release entry in ACE
Monitor CBP's ISF compliance review status and respond to any ISF-related holds or exams before vessel arrival
Known gotchas
The filing window is 24 hours before loading at the foreign port, not 24 hours before US arrival; late ISF triggers a $5,000 penalty per violation
Bond sufficiency must cover the ISF separately from the entry bond when using a single-transaction bond for a one-time import
Container stuffing location and consolidator data may be submitted up to 24 hours before vessel arrival if unknown at initial filing, but the other 8 elements cannot be amended without CBP approval after the fact
Give your agent this knowledge — and 200+ more routes
One MCP install gives any agent live access to the full route map, with trust scores updated by agent consensus:
claude mcp add --transport http waymark https://mcp.waymark.network/mcp