COLOMBIAN TRUCKERS STRIKE, SET UP ROADBLOCKS IN PROTEST OF DIESEL FUEL HIKE Demonstrations, protests, and blockades ground the transportation industry to a near-halt in Colombia this week. Anger over a government price hike on diesel fuel triggered the labor unrest which included truckers going on strike and setting up blockades [...]
USTR: SECTION 301 MODIFICATIONS DETERMINATION FURTHER DELAYED On July 30, 2024, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) office announced that it continues to work on finalizing the determination, with plans to make it public in the coming days. This announcement marks another delay in the final decision on proposed Section [...]
PROPOSED SECTION 301 MODIFICATIONS On May 28, 2024, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) proposed modifications to the actions under the Section 301 investigation concerning China’s acts, policies, and practices related to technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation. Section 301 exclusions were first implemented during the Trump Administration and reinstated [...]
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released an updated Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Strategy to Prevent the Importation of Goods Mined, Produced, or Manufactured with Forced Labor in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Released July 9, 2024, the updated strategy continues to advance the enforcement of [...]
ELECTRIC TRUCKING INVESTMENTS The Los Angeles and Long Beach ports are investing a combined $25 million to support the development of charging infrastructure for electric-powered heavy-duty trucks to service southern California harbors and warehouses. The commissions of both ports also authorized another $12.5 million from their respective clean truck funds [...]
SHIPPERS PUSH FMC TO ADDRESS ISSUES WITH CHANGING DROP OFF DATES FOR EXPORTS U.S. exporters have expressed concerns to the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) that the inconsistent information on vessel schedules and drop-off dates leads to higher costs and delays. Although having a single source for this kind of data [...]
The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recently announced plans to implement Phase VII of the Lacey Act Provisions. The Lacey Act protects global plant species by regulating the import, export, and trade of plants and plant products to prevent illegal logging and [...]
"To encourage China to eliminate its unfair trade practices regarding technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation, the President is directing increases in tariffs across strategic sectors such as steel and aluminum, semiconductors, electric vehicles, batteries, critical minerals, solar cells, ship-to-shore cranes, and medical products." White House Fact Sheet | May [...]
ACE MODERNIZATION SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently announced plans to modernize ACE Portal Periodic Monthly Statement (PMS) features. The new features include new event tracking, postponing DIS vehicle export document submissions, and enforcement of tighter Type 86 entry deadlines, while offering enhanced document imaging system status [...]
A final rule was issued today by the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) addressing new obligations for demurrage and detention billing charged by marine terminal operators (MTOs) and common carriers. The rule, effective May 28, 2024, includes detailed information on processes for disputing bills, invoicing, and time frame. FMC RULE SPECIFICATIONS [...]
