U.S. Customs & Import Services
Importation is Pilotfisch Solutions' primary focus, and we can accommodate nearly all commodity concerns.
Whether your goods are already held up, on their way, or yet to be shipped: Pilotfisch is ready to help!
Ocean
Air
Truck / Overland
Rail / Overland
Handcarry/ Self Crossing
Pilotfisch Solutions Handles All Shipment Types
Customs clearances, import filings, document processing, notices, examinations and more!
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These services cover the legal requirements plus niche support offerings when Pilotfisch files import entries on your behalf.
Still planning your international shipment and seeking guidance?
That's Excellent!
​
Pilotfisch will share some key ways to better control your shipments through strategic preparation.
Whether your goods need special handling, treatment or assistance:
Pilotfisch loves the weird stuff!
​
There are numerous existing programs and tools which may be applicable, but it can be hard to discover them without guidance.
Pilotfisch can help with that.
Select the following section headings or icons to jump into that section, else scroll downward.
Pilotfisch Solutions is limiting export capacity at this time.
For those active importer clients of Pilotfisch with excellent relationship standing, we may facilitate export activities*.
Reach out to your preferred Pilotfisch contact and let's engage a dialogue.
*Exportation carries a disproportionately elevated risk exposure, and requires significant accommodation.
Customs clearances, import filings, document processing, notices, examinations and more!
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These services cover the legal requirements plus niche support offerings when Pilotfisch files import entries on your behalf.
Import Services
and Importing
Jump to a subsection:
Filings & Clearances
Filings are basic essence of what customs brokerages are about. These filings are made on your, or your company's, behalf to alert the authorities as to the detailed nature of your shipment. Any one shipment may have several different filing requirements from start to finish, depending on what goods are of interest to any respective partnering government agency (PGA). Clearances, including "Customs Clearance", are the authorities responding to our filings; in turn authorizing the access of your freight.
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) previously helped importers classify, valuate and handle customs business directly, but today require that importers engage with a licensed U.S. customs brokerage to ensure the classification, valuation and transactions of customs business are properly filed. CBP has shifted focus from education to enforcement, where mistakes result in delays and possibly penalties. The importer is responsible for their shipment, but Pilotfisch can help.
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Pilotfisch Solutions is effectively a 3-for-1 deal, in that we work to create accurate and timely filings; our detailed filings help expedite exam and release procedures; and our completed filings' documentation serves as a comprehensive record to support you in potential audit. Win Win Win!
Examples of filings and clearance services:
Customs Entry Filing
CBP - Required for All
A customs entry filing, and the customs entry release, is the most significant of import filings because it is the benchmark for holdups and accounts for each PGA's approval as prerequisite.
Nearly every good that has been shipped into the U.S. has required a customs entry filing, but not every entry filing is the same quality. Pilotfisch Solutions works so that CBP and PGAs have the information they need to issue their clearances - and remain satisfied after review.
Importer Security Filing
(ISF+10 or ISF)
CBP - Required for Ocean
Importer security filings are an advanced notice filing which helps CBP early targeting systems identify potential threats or discrepancies. Although these ISFs are supposed to be on file before 72 hrs before departure, a missing filing won't stop the cargo from loading and sailing. A missing ISF will however cause holds, must be filed before CBP will process the entry filing and may result in penalties from CBP.
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Instruct your foreign shipper to list Pilotfisch Solutions as the ISF Filer/ ISF Notify, and go from another risk exposure to known point of compliance.
Agency Release Filing
[PGA] - Specific to Product
Exampes: FDA, EPA, NHTSA, USDA, USF&W, CPSC, etc.
Different partnering government agencies may have reason to review or control products you are trying to import, and that may not always be apparent when the shipment was organized. PGAs are generally involved to protect consumers from something related to the product, and more frequently data-driven methods prove fruitful.
This means in effect that each one of these PGAs are putting a higher burden on the importer to feed them potentially useful information: ergo an increase in agency release filings. Note that even disclaiming that your product is not subject to requirements is itself an agency release filing.
FDA Prior Notice Filing
FDA - Specific to Food
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires advanced notice when food items are being shipped into the country. This prior notice filing is essential for helping the FDA prioritize resources, and can create significant delays if not on file when FDA personnel start their procedures. Although the FDA prior notice filing is a separate filing from the FDA agency release filing, it directly effects the timing and prioritization of the FDA's agency release.
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Pilotfisch Solutions ensures that prior notice filings are in place so that when it is your shipment's turn for review, the FDA is sated with information and their resources are fully focused on your agency release.
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Insurance & Bonding
Insurance and bonding are mechanisms of surety companies for the unplanned or unacceptable.
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Insurance protects the shipment for you or your company in the event of loss or damage, and the surety will pay money out to your company and involved parties to make y'all recompensed.
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Bonds protect CBP for your shipment, and in the event of damaging behavior: the surety will pay money out to CBP to make them recompensed.
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Pilotfisch Solutions is able to offer both insurance and bonds for your shipment, and will help establish coverage sufficiency with you when organizing the shipment details. Note that while insurance is recommended, at least one bond is always required for your importation.
Cargo insurance may seem superfluous for your seemingly mundane shipment; but when things go bad, and your shipment is uninsured or not properly covered, the bad quickly gets much worse. Call us or talk to your existing Pilotfisch representative to learn more about insurance and risk exposure.
Examples of insurance and customs bonding:
Cargo Insurance
"All-Risk" policy
Pilotfisch Solutions only offers one type of cargo insurance: "All-Risk".
This type of policy is transaction based and rate dependent on the type of cargo, but will give the complete umbrella of coverage against any of the significant risk exposures that may inadvertently bankrupt your company or compromise your goods.
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Another aspect to consider is recompense for the value of inaccessible goods. Even if your goods were undamaged from an incident, your goods may get tied up in someone else's claim resolution. Those goods are effectively lost, and although you may not be stuck with the bill for damages, neither are you absolved of your responsibilities related to or incidental to your shipment.
Single Transaction Import Bond
CBP - Customs Single Bond
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Relative to shipment value
Depending on what type and amount of goods you are shipping, CBP will require a bond with a corollary coverage value. This value is not how much the bond will cost you, but rather the value of the coverage which CBP has deemed appropriate for that shipment.
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Pilotfisch can help you determine coverage sufficiency as well generate bonds on behalf of you and your import transactions.
We also work to ensure that CBP never needs to use your bond, but that is a different matter.
Single Transaction ISF Bond
CBP - Customs Single Bond
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Specific to ISF filings
If your shipment is being transported on the ocean or international waterways, an importer security filing obligation exists. As a method for CBP to enforce ISF filing issues, CBP has seen fit to include an additional bonding requirement specific to the ISF. If you are organizing on a single transaction basis: CBP will require an ISF bond tied to the ISF filing.
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Pilotfisch can generate that ISF bond on your behalf and ensure that your ISF is supported with a bond and ready to go when the time comes to transmit the filing.
Continuous Customs Bond
CBP - Multipurpose Bond
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Issuance date + 364 days
The previous two bond examples have been on a single transaction basis - meaning that each time you import, you need to generate a bond. A continuous bond serves the purpose of being a blanket coverage bond, which covers a year's worth of your importation activity. Continuous bonds are applied for both entry bonding purposes as well as ISF bonding purposes - meaning one continuous bond will take care of all your entry bonds and any ISF bonds for the next 364 days after issuance.
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Pilotfisch Solutions will help you review your importation strategy and evaluate continuous bonding strategies. This also applies to multi-body entities looking to optimize their international activity relationships between mother and subsidiary.
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Classification & Valuation
Classification and valuation are the two central factors which dictate the treatment of your goods, shipment, filings, risk profile, and duties and taxes. These factors are how we indicate to CBP the genuine story of what you are doing importing, and how we are going to ensure the goods entering the U.S. commerce are made equivalent in market value.
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Classification is what your products are; codified into a Harmonized Tariff Schedule [of the U.S.] (HTSUS) number which statistically represents qualities the U.S. government has prioritized, as well as labels the goods for those control systems.
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Valuation is the fair and accurate value of your goods; within the context of the deal and your business, establishing a basis for appropriate duties and taxes.
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Pilotfisch Solutions will help you work to identify these factors, including engaging directly with CBP for official insight or review. Although there may be multiple accurate ways to articulate your import transactions, Pilotfisch guides you toward the precise reporting to satisfy CBP.
Examples and service detail:
Product Analysis
Classification
Every import transaction will require each type of product commodity to be classified and expressed as an HTSUS number. Pilotfisch will review each instance a new classification appears and can manage that information for future instances.
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Pilotfisch Solutions is designed to solve first, but then make future instances simplified and discounted. Product analysis is a great example where neither of us need to re-invent the wheel for repeat shipments, and we can both prosper for the efficiency!
Binding Ruling Requests
Classification
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Tied with hourly consulting
In cases where a product is entirely new, and in your opinion without basis for comparison, advanced product analysis methods can include Pilotfisch working with CBP center of excellence specialists. In the event that you would like to get CBP to specify in writing; Pilotfisch can create a binding ruling request on your behalf, which will formally specify the classification.
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It is important to consider that binding ruling requests bind both ways. Not only will CBP have to honor that specific ruling in future business dealings, so too will you have to honor the classification and duty rate - even if you disagree with how they've classified it.
Trade Agreement Analysis
Classification and Valuation
Tied with hourly consulting
Trade agreements, often known as "free trade agreements" like USMCA or GSP, are special programs where qualifying goods and countries are eligible for preferential treatment. Usually this is preference for lessened or zero duty, but it may affect more that duty alone.
Pilotfisch is fluent in trade agreements and will ensure that you are afforded the opportunities to participate. Similarly, our resources for analysis can be aligned with planning and preparation analysis if you are considering sourcing changes.
Incoterm Analysis
Valuation
The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) created a convention for making International Commercial Terms (Incoterms) to describe how trade deals manage responsibility and payments. These terms detail how your trade will be fulfilled, but also have implications for the precise value of your goods, and therefore duties and taxes.
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Pilotfisch will help you evaluate costs and valuation for your goods, but can also help you unlock Incoterms and empower you to use tools you've had at your disposal all along!
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Examination Support
Examinations are a wildcard factor which we at Pilotfisch Solutions view primarily through risk exposure. There are several ways in which Pilotfisch can help you lower your exam risk, but eventually exams are going to happen. That is the often-neglected first component, but we also excel at helping actively solve exam related issues; and that is where the real incidental costs can kill any deal.
Our skilled Pilotfisch brokers and employees have the insights to know what kind of exams are happening, where, what you need to do, as well as who you need to pay so that your shipment can continue onward after CBP has satisfied their reasons for exam.
Services related to exam support:
Exam Monitoring / Piloting
Per management plan
So it's happened: your shipment has been flagged for exam.
Bummer, but no problem because Pilotfisch is keeping tabs.
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Depending on how you have organized your business relationship, we can monitor and report back, or even pilot your freight through the process from start to finish on your behalf; keeping you in-the-know.
Exam Drayage
May be required
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Per management plan
Depending on the city, port complex, facility or goods in your shipment, movements to accommodate examination may or may not be your responsibility (subject to all the intricacies of CBP control.)
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Pilotfisch regularly deals with these exam sites and terminals nationwide, and we have both the relationship and the insider-edge to know how our clients are able to take action. Similar to exam monitoring, we are prepared to manage and even pilot your freight through this process.
PGA Exam Support
[PGA] - Specific to Product
Exampes: FDA, EPA, NHTSA, USDA, USF&W, CPSC, etc.
Different partnering government agencies may have any number of reasons to review or control products you are trying to import all under the umbrella of protecting consumers.
Depending on the PGA and the specific shipment circumstances, Pilotfisch Solutions may be able to leverage our relationship as a customs brokerage on your behalf; provided you comply in good faith. Pilotfisch lends you our wisdom and reputation so that we can create compliant pathways which appease the examiner as well as mitigate costs. It is not always possible to expedite PGA exams, but sometimes is better than never!
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Still planning your international shipment and seeking guidance?
That's Excellent!
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Pilotfisch will share some key ways to better control your shipments through strategic preparation.
Importer Preparation
Tips for Importers
Some importing practices are universally good, and there is no reason why you and your company shouldn't be taking advantage of the tips (and legal tricks) that are easily manageable for everyone.
Especially when you are in the planning and investigation phase, Pilotfisch has noted that these insights may prove useful for you and Pilotfisch Solutions (when we act on your behalf.)
Know what to expect and save yourself time and money!
Checklist for Import
May require additional documents or evidence
Starting with the basics, every import is going to require you to provide some evidence (documents usually) of your shipment and the goods being shipped. You will need to get them together eventually, but planning with these requirements in mind helps unlock opportunities and strategies to maximize your priorities.
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Here is what you will always need:
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Commercial Invoice(s)
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Load Detail / Packing List​
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Bill(s) of Lading / [Air] Waybills - including housebill(s)
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Arrival Notice
You may also need:​
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Certificate(s) of Origin
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Testing Certificate(s)
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Registrations (facility or third party)
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Marking or Product Labels (requirements)
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Filing, Handling or Contingency Instruction(s) (including ISF+10)
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Think about these documents and requirements while you are planning, and you give yourself the strategic positioning to make some really exciting choices on how you organize importation.
Checklist [continued]
Considerations for "May Also Need"
Prepare for additional responsibilities
It can be hard to know when your goods are going to be subject to additional requirements from PGAs or CBP targeted programs. While preparing for imports you should consider what kind of industry standards and protections are normally in place for those kinds of products. It is advantageous to assume that when the time has come to import your goods, those same standards and protections will be checked.
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The FDA control ballpoint pens because people chew on them.
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USMCA trade agreement goods require a certificate of origin.
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USF&W enforces Lacey Act controls on objects made of wood.
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Those same wooden objects may have been manufactured using formaldehyde - requiring certification.
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Medical devices need facility and device registrations.
The possibilities are limitless, and new requirements are added daily!
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Pilotfisch Solutions can help investigate products for specific import requirements and identify risk exposures for your business to consider. In some cases the supporting evidence is specific to the shipment, and other cases may permit blanket application. Pilotfisch will work with you to streamline compliance into our import processes.
Designating Parties
You can specify:
Customs Broker Party
​ISF Filer
Notify Party
Additional Party of Interest
Pilotfisch Solutions is in the business of making your importations feel easy and pleasant, and the easiest ways to do that are to designate Pilotfisch Solutions, Inc. to your manufacturer, carrier, logistics manager or even all of the them.
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In the planning phase you and your business have the control to call some of the shots; and in these cases you are allowing or instructing applicable supply chain intermediaries to work with Pilotfisch on your behalf. This may not seem like much, but the effect can shave days off your importation and allow you to reclaim known risk exposures as known points of compliance. Pilotfisch succeeds when you succeed!
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Designate Pilotfisch Solutions, Inc. as your U.S. Customs Broker
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You could specify this to your manufacturer when they are making freighting arrangements.
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You could make this designation to a carrier or freight forwarder (like FedEx) so that while they do the transportation - you control customs compliance on your company's terms.
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Pilotfisch should receive alerts of respective shipments, so nothing slips through the cracks of neglect.
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Designate Pilotfisch Solutions, Inc. as your ISF Filer
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You can control who ensures your shipment's ISF is on file, reclaiming risk exposure on quality or timeliness issues.
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Pilotfisch should receive the information directly so that you can comfortably monitor as we get it done.
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Designate Pilotfisch Solutions, Inc. as one of your Notify Parties
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You can list notify parties when generating the bill(s) of lading with your carrier or freight forwarder.
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Pilotfisch should receive the same notices and alerts as they are issued, including the required Arrival Notice document.
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Designate Pilotfisch Solutions, Inc. as a Party of Interest
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You can empower Pilotfisch to act with additional authority on your behalf by specifying the additional or secondary party of interest.
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You could communicate this to your manufacturer, carrier or freight forwarder.
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Pilotfisch should be able to exercise limited freighting decisions on your behalf, when normally [that] intermediary would require your direct involvement to make changes.
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This can be significant for agile logistics and customs management in circumstances of avoidable issue.
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You can designate whomever you'd prefer for any of these roles, but Pilotfisch Solutions is uniquely positioned to help you take full advantage when we are also filing the customs entries.
The control and choices are yours, should you choose to use them.
Sourcing & Vetting
Trust is key
International shipping is the pinnacle of trade, but also comes with the highest risks. Scams, hoaxes, fraud and neglect are very real occurrences in any country; risks which are compounded when we consider multiple jurisdictions, cultural standards of practice or limitations of enforcement authority in worst case scenarios. Pilotfisch Solutions does everything in our power to eliminate those kinds of parasitic actors and their effects, but your diligence and preparation is the first line of defense.
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Trust is the key test.
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Do you trust the people you are working with?
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Do you trust them to send what you asked for?
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Do you trust them to tell you the truth about their practices?
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Would you trust them to help you troubleshoot a shipment which has gone awry?
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Ultimately you are going to have to trust your international trade partners, including Pilotfisch Solutions. Pilotfisch works to earn your trust little by little through a track-record of responsive communication until we accomplish compliant success. While Pilotfisch can help with sourcing and vetting projects on a consulting basis, our importation perspective will also depend on your trust in your partners.
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Strategic Import Preparation
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Do you need general or specific international trade guidance? Our experience is your insight!
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Do you want someone to teach you or your company on the specifics? School is in session!
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Do you want someone to hold your hand, purely in reassurance? That's us at your side!
Everyone at Pilotfisch Solutions wants your importations to excel and you to succeed. Not only will diligent planning maximize our potential to bring out the best in your importations, you also have the best possible opportunity to create import schemes which match your ideal business cycle(s).
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Most customs brokerages are barely able to explain the mechanisms that govern our industry and even less capable of conceptualizing yours. Pilotfisch Solutions is a savant of international trade and has the capability to provide detailed guidance which far exceeds the ignorant myopia of our competitors. We will never become a master of your industry, but we will help you master your own industry's concerns which affect your import business. We have the confidence to help you when we know the answers, and the wisdom to acknowledge when we will have to help you seek an answer out.
Create import strategies specific to your business.
First Time Importer Advising
Consultation
Projects tied to consulting rates
Pilotfisch Solutions loves helping first-time importers, and can help establish a basis of confidence so that you and your business can know what to expect, what is abnormal, and how to respond effectively. Upon that solid foundation, we build a importation plan which is aligned with what you and your business need; whether that be the cookie-cutter offerings or something tailor-made.
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Pilotfisch always brings the same level of intensive scrutiny for all of our client's imports and import business, but the preparation phase allows time to investigate any and every concern. Pilotfisch views this kind of guidance as an investment in your company and our relationship together. Depending on the nature and depth of guidance sought, Pilotfisch Solutions offers hourly consulting rate structures to dedicate employees to your project as appropriate.
Logistics of Customs Business
Optimize timing concerns
Most supply chain professionals see a customs clearance as a true or false condition which signals them for appropriate next steps. If you have the time and inclination however, importers are able to control some of the how and where of their customs clearance.
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Pilotfisch Solutions knows about the tools and conditional methodology which CBP and PGAs allow but don't necessarily advertise. When paired with the proper planning, the logistics of your customs business can make the difference in your production timeline and operational cash positioning.
Organizing Relationships
Planning Communication
Planning your importations also includes planning for relationships and communication between your key intermediaries. This extends to more than just the manufacturer or overseas seller, especially as supply chain visibility and reporting requirements have increased. Equally true, organizational planning may also benefit your company as a parent or subsidiary; where interplay and hierarchy may carry legal or operational impacts.
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Use Pilotfisch Solutions in your preparations, and use us to streamline your experience. We can help as an intermediate on your behalf, or you can arrange for Pilotfisch to handle work with them directly and update you with progress. However you would like to organize your relationships and interactions, we will match with respectful care.
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Special Import Services
Whether your goods need special handling, treatment or assistance:
Pilotfisch loves the weird stuff!
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There are numerous existing programs and tools which may be applicable, but it can be hard to discover them without guidance.
Pilotfisch can help with that.
Intensive Treatment
Intensive treatment a general term to describe the different and specific ways to remedy your freight issue. The need for intensive handling or treatment could be at the prompt of your planning considerations, or may be at the demand of CBP or an interested PGA. Although intensive examinations are normal in any importer's long-term operations, the real issue is when an intensive exam drags on or is escalated further.
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Pilotfisch Solutions has built relationships with specialists and special facilities that are able to accommodate your freight when others will flatly turn you away.
Special or Intensive Services
Examination Support
Beyond Standard Intensive Exams
An intensive examination may not necessarily mean that intensive treatment is needed for your shipment to be processed safely. When your shipment is in need of intense treatment related to an intensive exam, your shipment costs are likely about to balloon.
Pilotfisch Solutions will always support you through your examinations, but detailed coordination usually makes the difference when it comes to mitigating the bill before it accumulates. It is hard to say what those actions may entail exactly, but know that Pilotfisch Solutions' objective is always to help save you more money than our services cost.​
Project / Specialty Terminals
Project, bulk, breakbulk and stevedore'd specialties can be really daunting for the inexperienced, but Pilotfisch Solutions has experience making special arrangements with these exclusive terminals. Pilotfisch works with these specialist terminals and port facilities so that you satisfy their nuanced release specifications as well as the normal U.S. Customs or PGA laws.
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This can also overlap into logistics management, when consignees like Amazon, Costco or other fulfillment warehouses require special procedures before they will accept your freight. The details are important, and Pilotfisch works as your partner to ensure they are treated with the high level of care as deserved.
Specialists & Specific Treatment
As needed or directed
In certain circumstances, your shipment may require one or more specific services from a professional onsite, above and beyond what is normally considered import activity. This can be exam specialists like fumigators or contaminant experts; or it can include a chaperone or escort to walk that specialist through the secured facility, so that they may begin work on your freight.
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Pilotfisch facilitates or can directly coordinate these specialists on your behalf, and may even assist with certain cargo manipulations. In whatever case that your shipment is held up in need of a specialists' care: Pilotfisch Solutions is prepared to assist you above and beyond the normal support suite.
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Temporary Shipments
When you import goods into the United States of America, it is on the understanding that you are making those goods a permanent part of the U.S. commerce - so you pay the duties and taxes to equalize. In the even that those goods are only meant to be in the US for a year (or less), or when you lawfully export those same goods to another country: there may be a way for you and your company to lessen or eliminate that burden. It is important to note that there are some special rules which go along with their respective programs, and it is not insignificant in how you must accommodate them.
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Pilotfisch Solutions works with you and your company to understand the nature of what you are trying to accomplish with your importation plans, and keeps you organized so that you can compliantly start and finish temporary shipments. Where other brokerages may forget your shipment and your obligations, Pilotfisch remembers so that you can remember while there is still time to act.
Services for Temporary or Uncleared Cargo
Carnets & T.I.B.s
Great for samples, testing or tradeshows
Temporary Importation under Bond (T.I.B.) is a filing for goods intended to be exported within the year. Carnets are similar to T.I.B.s, except are designed for temporary shipments being sent and then sent onward through several different countries. In both cases, the goods need to be returned to their origin country within one year.
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Also important to note that everything that comes in on a T.I.B. or Carnet must also be sent out. In the example of a race car participating in a temporary racing series on T.I.B.: used wheels and oil were kept and exported. If importers forget or fail to export the complete shipment - CBP will liquidate damages.
Bonded Warehousing & FTZs
In special circumstances, your goods may not be eligible to enter the U.S. commerce as-is. Bonded warehouses and foreign trade zones (FTZs and sometimes mis-attributed to "free" trade zones) are locations where your uncleared goods may rest as you wait, make corrective manipulations or make additional transformations to your goods as to change their import nature.
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Pilotfisch always suggests to work with us in preparation so that your goods aren't held in inadmissible status with active costs; but there are times when it cannot be avoided. If you are working with quota controlled goods, or goods which you plan to substantially transform: reach out to Pilotfisch and discover better suited methods to accommodate your imports.
Duty Drawback Support
Retroactive -
import goods directly related to export
Very different from carnets and T.I.B.s, Duty Drawback is a program which can help importers reclaim duties and taxes paid for goods which have since been exported out of the U.S. commerce. This program can only be engaged retroactively, but remains a powerful tool for companies to reclaim monies that CBP is otherwise willing to keep.
Pilotfisch helps you keep your filings clear and well tabulated so that you are returned what is fair, and you are not penalized for ignorance.
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Notices and Penalty Support
All official remittances should be responded to timely, and Pilotfisch Solutions works so that you are informed promptly of all communications on your, your business', or your imported goods' behalf. An official notice from Customs and Border Protection is good reason for concern for any attentive importer, but does not necessarily mean trouble. Similarly, sometimes an official note is nothing more than a follow-up on a conditional release. Part of the give and take of our trade relationship with CBP is that they will help your freight move in the moment, but then hold it up when it isn't as big a burden to them, you, or maybe both. Normally you will only need to deal with remittance as a statistical audit, but everyone is capable of making mistakes. Creating and following good and compliant importation methods should help defend you against issues, and usually will itself be a strong mitigating factor should you come to that point.
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Pilotfisch Solutions is not a customs attorney, and is not a replacement for a customs attorney's advice or representation. Pilotfisch is however an expert with a primary interest in guiding you through the trade process in a compliant and legitimate way. Sometimes our help and guidance is enough, and other times it is merely a preamble for your conversation with representation.
Services to Help with Official Interactions
Official Requests & Notices
CF-28:
Request for Information
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CF-29:
Notice of Action
When it comes to importing, the most common official remittances are CF-28s and CF-29s, or "Request(s) for Information" and "Notice(s) of Action" respectively. Usually this indicates that CBP disagrees with some detail of the shipment as we have described, and they are going to confirm understanding as well as the appropriate dutiable rate.
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That being said, there are many reasons CBP will issue a CF-28 request, not necessarily affecting your existing or upcoming shipments.
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Whatever the reason or instruction, Pilotfisch will help guide you through and toward whatever information CBP seeks; or Pilotfisch will help guide you through whatever actions CBP demands. The burdens belong to the importer of record, but we want to help our clients if we are able.
Fines, Penalties & Forfeitures
If circumstances have gotten this far, something has gone wrong indeed. Have no fear though, Pilotfisch Solutions may be able to help you work through or work down your fine or penalty. We cannot change whatever transgression(s) have caused issue, but we can help change your behavior toward legal and compliant pathways moving forward.
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Pilotfisch is able to help you and your company redefine how you conduct your import business so that these types of issues stop at their source, and we may be able to help identify features or exposures within your company which a customs attorney can use to argue on your behalf for mitigation or alleviation.
This is a prime example where Pilotfisch is working to make the best-case of a worst-case situation!
Re-Delivery, Exportation or Destruction
Sometimes when importing, CBP or a PGA will determine that your goods are unsafe or inadmissible into the U.S. marketplace. This usually happens before your cargo is released for pickup from the final cargo terminal. In some rare cases however, it may be your responsibility to re-deliver those goods back into CBP custody.
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Usually these types of special holds or government demands are followed by an instruction for exportation, but some cases may require that those goods are destroyed (less they damage or harm someone else.)
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Pilotfisch is mindful of these risks to avoid these types of circumstances whenever possible; but we're ready to step in and provide solutions just in case. While the decisions are yours alone, you need not make them alone.
