What happens if a fireworks shipment gets held up at US Customs?

[Danny Roth]

#5806

Hey all – Ive got a container that’s been sitting at Long Beach for almost 3 weeks now. Customs flagged it for inspection and I’m kinda in the dark about what happens next. Anyone been through this? Do they just check paperwork or do they actually open every case? And who pays for the storage fees while it’s sitting there? Kinda nervous about this, not gonna lie.

[Danny Roth]

#5808

Been through this twice man. First time they held it for 5 weeks and opened maybe 20% of the cases. Second time was only 2 weeks and they just checked the manifest and let it go. Storage fees are on you usually – the freight forwarder should’ve warned you about demurrage. Check your bill of lading terms. What’s the customs broker saying?

[Michael]

#5809

Customs inspections on fireworks shipments are more common than people think, especially coming through busy ports like Long Beach. CBP has been tightening up on hazmat documentation lately. We’ve actually got a guide in the Transportation section that goes through the customs clearance process and what docs you need to have ready before the container even arrives. Worth a read if you’re dealing with this now.

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