Tail Gate Exam
When shipped to the United States (U.S.), containers must be inspected before being allowed into the country. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) established various levels of inspection, one of which is the Tail Gate Exam.
When arriving at the port, some containers will have to undergo an X-ray examination to determine their contents. The containers may be selected for a Tail Gate Exam if the issue is more complicated. In this case, the container gate at the back will be opened for inspectors to check, but the cargo remains untouched. Following this, an intensive exam is conducted, in which the container is trucked to a Centralized Examination Station (CES) for thorough inspection.
Like all other customs exams, a Tail Gate Exam often incurs a fee of US$150 to US$350 (€ 140 to €326) per container, depending on the port and the container size. Tail Gate Exams might take up to six days, depending on port conditions. This further delays the delivery process and causes carriers to lose money.
To avoid a Tail Gate Exam, carriers must submit detailed and accurate information about the container being shipped. Working with a trustworthy delivery partner with a good shipping record is also recommended to keep your cargo from being held for further inspection.
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