U.S. Inspection Trailer "Taken Over" Starting August 25th!|Zhonjin Future Logistics offers professional global logistics services

U.S. Inspection Trailer "Taken Over" Starting August 25th!

2025.08.22

"After August 25th, can't we arrange our own trailers for full container inspections in Los Angeles?"

"10 Matson regular containers were inspected this week, all delayed, and customs declaration by purchasing documents really doesn't work anymore?"

Recently, the U.S. has successively introduced new regulations, sending strong signals about compliance. Both the adjustment of inspection procedures and the strict inspection posture indicate that the compliance threshold for cross-border logistics is continuing to rise.

01 Core New Regulation: "Hard Requirements" for Full Container Inspection Transportation

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) clearly stated that starting from August 25th, the inspection process for full container load (FCL) goods at the Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach will undergo major changes:

If goods are selected by customs for MET (Merchandise Enforcement Team) or AQI (Agriculture) inspections, they must be picked up from the terminal and transported to the inspection site by trucking companies designated by the Container Examination Station (CES). Sellers and freight forwarders cannot arrange their own trailers.

When declaring, you can still choose the inspection site, but the entire process of container pickup and transportation must be uniformly scheduled by the inspection site.

If full container goods need to be compulsorily returned, the inspection site will also be responsible for arranging trailers.

Less than container load (LCL) goods are not affected and can still be transported from the Container Freight Station (CFS) to CES by self-arranged trailers.

The core purpose of U.S. Customs' move is to "prevent goods from bypassing customs inspections." By controlling the transportation link, it ensures that every batch of goods requiring inspection is under standardized supervision, eliminating the possibility of irregular operations in the process.

02 Evaluation of New Regulations: Building a Regulatory Closed Loop Balancing Efficiency and Compliance

The new CBP regulations are actually a continuation of the global trend of "data penetration" in cross-border logistics supervision. Its impact can be analyzed from three dimensions:

For regulators:

Closing loopholes in the transportation link

Previously, the transportation link had strong autonomy, which easily led to "gray operations." The new regulations bring the transportation rights under the unified management of the inspection site, equivalent to adding a "full-link lock" to full container inspections, ensuring that every step of the goods from the terminal to the inspection site is within the regulatory scope, completely blocking the path of "bypassing inspections."

For sellers: Short-term pain, long-term forcing compliance upgrades

In the short term, designated truck transportation may lengthen the inspection cycle. Especially during peak seasons, the risk of goods detention may increase. However, in the long run, this "standardized process" can reduce sudden risks caused by irregular operations, such as goods seizure and fines... It also forces sellers to shift towards compliant operations.

For the industry: Accelerating the "shuffle" of logistics providers

"Flexible operations" and "gray channels" are probably no longer viable, and logistics providers with formal qualifications and transparent processes are more competitive. This new regulation is actually helping sellers screen "reliable partners."

03 Coping Strategies: Multi-dimensional Resolution of the Impact of New Regulations

In the face of the new inspection regulations, Zhongjing Cross-Border Logistics suggests that sellers take the initiative to adjust from three aspects:

Reserve an "inspection buffer period" and optimize the shipment rhythm

For the goods delivery cycle, it is recommended to reserve an additional 3-5 days buffer period. Especially during peak seasons such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday, stock up 1-2 weeks in advance to avoid stockouts due to inspection delays.

Strengthen declaration standardization and reduce the probability of "being inspected"

Commercial invoices, packing lists, product certifications and other documents must be completely consistent with the goods information. Eliminate underreporting and omissions, and ensure that information such as material, quantity, and purpose is complete and accurate, reducing the possibility of MET/AQI inspections from the source.

Bind with high-quality logistics providers and leverage localized resources

If goods frequently enter and exit the U.S., it is recommended to choose logistics providers that have long-term cooperation at the Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach and have stable truck scheduling channels. Even if you don't cooperate directly, understanding their scheduling rules can help you gain initiative in the transportation link.

Zhonjin Los Angeles No. 5 Overseas Warehouse is located in the core warehousing and logistics corridor in western the U.S., only 1 hour away from the Port of Los Angeles, which can help sellers alleviate the anxiety of goods detention at the port.

In addition, Zhonjin's "full container warehousing + devanning and delivery" model can also help sellers effectively disperse risks. Even if port inspections are delayed, stock in overseas warehouses can ensure uninterrupted front-end sales.

04 Normalization of Inspections: Compliance Has Become the "Lifeline" of Cross-Border Logistics

Recently, the strict inspection of the Matson route by Shanghai Customs has also sent a strong signal. According to feedback from Shanghai customs brokers, 10 Matson regular containers were inspected this week and all were delayed, and 1 additional container was also inspected and not spared. The problems are mostly concentrated on "customs declaration by purchasing documents."

In the past, many sellers and freight forwarders had a fluke mind, thinking that "exporting by purchasing documents has low costs, and doing it occasionally is okay." But now, this mentality is no longer sustainable.

For sellers adhering to long-termism, it is more necessary to take the initiative to embrace changes, re-examine the logistics chain, and ensure that every step is compliant and traceable.

Only by eliminating bubbles can we go further.

Zhonjin is willing to work with you to turn "uncertainty" into "controllability."

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