The European Union’s enhanced customs security system, ICS2, aims to strengthen border protection by collecting shipment information for goods arriving in or transiting through the region.

ICS2 Release 3 brings new filing requirements, including the compulsory submission of house-level Entry Summary Declaration (ENS) data for incoming shipments. As Maersk states is a customer advisory, starting April 1st, ICS2 enters its mandatory phase, applying to all vessels departing from designated compliance load ports. This phase will necessitate additional declarations, specifically covering House, Buyer, and Seller details.

Additionally, per Maersk, this layered filing is necessary only when the place of delivery of the cargo is a European Union country.  It is not required for the transshipments or freight remaining onboard when the destination is a non-EU country.