The U.S. Customs and Boarder Protection agency is trying something very new and modern when it comes to cruisers and sailors on their own boats checking back into the country after being abroad. Right now, skippers have to use the Small Boat Reporting System or have their boats physically inspected by a CBP agent.
The new system is based on an app that uses video chat to allow the skipper to check in with the CBP without leavening his boat and yet it still provides a clear visual ID for the CBP agent.
The new app is called ROAM (Reporting Offsite Arrive Mobile) which is being beta tested along the U.S. Canadian border in the Great Lakes. Sue Richards wrote a full report on ROAM for Noonsite that you can read here. Read more.
