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C-TPAT Supply Chain Program | Freight-Academy™

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GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 16, 2026

C-TPAT Supply Chain Program

An overseas exporter shipping regularly to the United States will sooner or later encounter the requirement: U.S.

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An overseas exporter shipping regularly to the United States will sooner or later encounter the requirement: U.S. importers and major buyers increasingly expect proof that the supply chain is secured…

C-TPAT – Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism – is the voluntary programme through which U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) partners with importers, freight forwarders, customs brokers,…

Members commit to risk-based security standards covering access controls, container integrity, personnel vetting, and documentation, and undergo regular CBP audits.

Last updated: 16 June 2026Published: 19 June 2025

Source: https://www.cbp.gov/border-security/ports-entry/cargo-security/ctpat

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C-TPAT Supply Chain Program

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Definition & Explanation

An overseas exporter shipping regularly to the United States will sooner or later encounter the requirement: U.S. importers and major buyers increasingly expect proof that the supply chain is secured against terrorism, smuggling, and tampering. C-TPAT – Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism – is the voluntary programme through which U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) partners with importers, freight forwarders, customs brokers, carriers, and other trade stakeholders. Members commit to risk-based security standards covering access controls, container integrity, personnel vetting, and documentation, and undergo regular CBP audits. In return, they receive expedited border processing and lower inspection rates. C-TPAT is often compared to the EU's Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) status; both rest on the principle of trusted-trader facilitation, but mutual recognition between the two schemes is limited and governed by separate agreements.

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Recommended format: Source: Freight Academy – C-TPAT Supply Chain Program (https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/c-tpat-supply-chain-program), accessed 2026-09-17
APA style: Freight Academy Editorial Team. (2025). C-TPAT Supply Chain Program. Freight Academy. https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/c-tpat-supply-chain-program
BibTeX: @misc{ctpatsupplychain2025, title = {C-TPAT Supply Chain Program}, author = {{Freight Academy Editorial Team}}, year = {2025}, url = {https://www.freight-academy.com/en/glossary/c-tpat-supply-chain-program}, note = {Freight Academy, accessed 2026-09-17} }

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