Trade Transparency: New Law Requires Public Disclosure of Exact Cargo Codes and Country of Origin for All Imports

This new legislation, the Manifest Modernization Act of 2025, isn't about building roads or funding schools—it’s about updating the paperwork for everything that enters the U.S. Specifically, it overhauls the rules for cargo manifests carried by ships, vehicles, and aircraft. The core change is that carriers must now provide more granular detail about the cargo, and this new, detailed information will be made public. These changes kick in 30 days after the bill becomes law.

The New Rules for What’s in the Box

Think of a manifest as the inventory list for a giant shipment of goods. Currently, that list provides some details, but this bill requires carriers to start listing three crucial new data points for public disclosure. First, they must include the specific subheading of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) for the cargo. This is basically the specific product code used globally to classify goods for customs and tariffs. Second, they must list the cargo’s country of origin. Third, they need to list the last country the cargo was transported through by the carrier. For anyone who works in manufacturing, logistics, or trade, this is a big deal because it means the exact HTS code—which dictates tariffs and regulations—will be publicly visible. The bill also throws in a formal definition of "aircraft" for customs purposes, clarifying that it includes any civil, military, or public flying machine.

Who Carries the Paperwork Burden?

While the goal is greater transparency, the immediate impact lands squarely on the carriers—the shipping lines, airlines, and trucking companies—and the importers they serve. Previously, you might have been able to get away with a broader description, but now, the specific HTS subheading (often a 6- to 10-digit code) is required. This means importers must be meticulous about providing this precise data to their carriers, and the carriers must update their IT systems and internal processes to collect and report it. For a small business importing specialized parts, this means ensuring their customs broker or shipping department is on top of the exact classification code, adding an administrative layer to every shipment.

Why the Detail Matters in the Real World

Requiring the HTS code and specific origin data for public disclosure is a win for trade analysts, government agencies, and potentially domestic manufacturers. For example, if a U.S. company suspects a competitor is importing goods that are mislabeled to avoid specific tariffs or quotas, the publicly available, detailed manifest information could make it easier to spot potential issues. By requiring the "last country transported through," the government also gets a clearer picture of complex supply chains that might route goods through multiple countries before reaching the U.S. dock or runway. Essentially, this tightens the screws on trade data, making it harder to obscure exactly what’s coming into the country, and from where.