The Automated Manifest System (AMS) is an electronic data transmission system managed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). It gathers detailed cargo information for air and ocean shipments entering the United States, playing a key role in security and compliance.
Importers commonly use AMS for electronic air manifests, though the term is often used more broadly to refer to all electronic cargo data transmission types. On the other hand, importers rely on the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) for truck, rail, and sea shipments.
Each shipment requires an AMS filing that includes complete cargo details. The responsible party (the client or the supplier) pays a fee per Bill of Lading (BOL) or Air Waybill (AWB).
