In an effort to enhance security in the boundary waters between the United States and Canada, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced on Tuesday that it has expanded pilot locations for its Reporting Offsite Arrival-Mobile (ROAM) application for operators of small boats.
The ROAM pilot program allows recreational anglers and boaters to journey into international waters and to record their arrivals at select resorts in the United States using a tablet with preloaded software. This allows them to schedule CBP border checks via video conference.
“From an officer standpoint this is much-needed technology,” CBP Area Port Director Jason Schmelz said. “From the clarity of the video to the ease of use for the traveler, ROAM has strengthened border security in these remote areas while facilitating legitimate travel and trade.”
The ROAM pilot program was first launched in the Northwest Angle of Minnesota in August 2017. It expanded to Crane Lake, Minnesota, in February. With Tuesday’s announcement, the pilot program has expanded into Rainy Lake, Lake Kabetogama, Ash River, Ely, and the boundary waters in Minnesota.
The ROAM app can be downloaded onto mobile devices free of charge. Boaters can then create a profile within the app and submit their information to schedule a video conference with a CBP official when crossing the U.S. border.
“Additionally, as a part of the pilot expansion, CBP will allow floatplanes in Crane Lake and Ely, Minnesota to clear via the ROAM app at designated floatplane bases,” a CBP release stated. “These bases are limited to Scott’s Seaplane base in Crane Lake and Shagawa Lake Seaplane base in Ely. Pilots are still required to file the flight plan in eAPIS as well. However, upon landing on water at those designated floatplane bases, pilots can utilize the ROAM app to close out both their trip and their eAPIS.”