Web alert: Canadian Carrier Codes

Members trading in Canada should take note that from 31 March 2015 all qualified carriers must have their own Canadian carrier code in order to continue to do business with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

A carrier code is a four-character unique identifier that is assigned by the CBSA to identify a carrier. We refer to an earlier web alert issued by the club on 17 July 2013.

Members should take the necessary action early as the obligation will be on the carrier to ensure they are eligible and meet the CBSA’s definition of a carrier once the regulation is passed. This requirement applies irrespective of how often the carrier crosses the Canadian border with commercial goods.

To apply for a carrier code, the first step is to determine if you need a non-bonded or bonded code.
 
The CBSA strongly recommends that marine carriers apply for a bonded carrier code, as a bond is required anytime unreleased goods move beyond the first port of arrival (FPOA). This includes scenarios such as emergency stops when the FPOA is changed.
 
In the marine mode, the FPOA is defined as the first Canadian port that a vessel stops at for any reason including, but not limited to, the loading and or discharging of cargo, anchoring, bunkering, safety inspections, crew changes and diversions.

For Great Lakes traffic, the CBSA has deemed two ports in and out of the Great Lakes as the FPOA whether the vessel stops there or not: Montréal and Port Colborne.
 
For vessels travelling into and through Canada from off shore and up bound, Montréal will be the FPOA, unless the vessel stops somewhere else in Canada first.
For vessels travelling with US loaded cargo, from the Great Lakes and passing through the Welland Canal, Port Colborne will be the FPOA unless the vessel stopped somewhere else in Canada first.
 
For more information members should refer to ​CBSA's webpage.