PIERS Trade Data

PIERS data is the standard in trade intelligence for organizations participating in the import/export business.

Our comprehensive data processing strategy consists of human intelligence and the innovative PIERS Enterprise System. We collect more than 15,000,000 bill of lading records annually. These, in addition to vessel manifest and other shipping documents, are processed through the PIERS Operations department to produce accurate, reliable and timely trade intelligence. While other organizations purchase only government data, an important part of the PIERS data collection process begins with our dedicated port staff who gather U.S. export data at the source – a key PIERS advantage.

To reach its final form the PIERS data undergoes extensive daily processing. Our proprietary procedure is powered by sophisticated algorithms and is fine-tuned by a dedicated team of professionals with decades of experience. Our commitment to thoroughly processing raw data in a timely manner ensures we provide the highest quality intelligence to the marketplace:

Collect:

Import waterborne data collected from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Automated Manifest System.
Export waterborne data collected by PIERS Reporters located in 88 ports throughout the United States including Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.
Import and Export waterborne and cross border records collected from key-trading partners whose national Customs authorities provides the data.

Cleanse:

All records undergo a series of audits, developed by PIERS, to review and correct inaccurate data elements across key bill of lading fields.

Standardize:

Company names, city, state and country are standardized to ensure consistency.
Commodity descriptions are standardized to clearly understand products being shipped.

Verify:

Data is verified through the PIERS Quality Control department where records are again audited for discrepancies and then corrected as necessary.

Validate:

Information is validated against external sources to ensure data accuracy.

Enhance:

Value added fields such as TEUs, Estimated Value, 6 Digit HS Codes, JOC Codes, PIERS Commodity Descriptions, NVOCC SCAC, Commodity Flags, and more are added to the data providing deeper insight and greater usability. This is where “data” is enhanced to become “intelligence.”

Publish:

PIERS data is published daily and is often available within 24 hours of a ship offloading its cargo in the United States.