The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) recently launched an on-demand video to explain the available public avenues for pursuing demurrage and detention complaints. The 22-minute instructional video clarifies the procedures, timelines, considerations, and outcomes of three Commission processes: reporting a violation by contacting an area representative; finding a commercial solution by [...]
Starting June 29, 2022, U.S. Commerce Department (Commerce) Aluminum Import licensing applications will require both fields of “country of largest smelt” and “country of second largest smelt.” Commerce defines the field for the country of smelt for the largest (and second largest) volume of primary aluminum as the country where the largest volume of new aluminum [...]
Earlier this month, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), through the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), announced it would begin sending letters to companies determined to have previously imported goods produced by forced labor in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Signed into law on December 23, 2021, UFLPA [...]
Last week, on April 8, 2022, United States President Biden signed H.R. 6968 “Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act” and H.R. 7108 “Suspending Normal Trade Relations with Russia and Belarus Act” into law. H.R. 6968, the “Ending Importation of Russian Oil Act,” which statutorily prohibits the importation of energy products [...]
On March 31, 2022, the United States Senate passed the Ocean Shipping Reform Act (OSRA), which promises U.S. shippers increased regulation over international container shipping practices, such as, exports as well as demurrage and detention billing practices. Triggered by industry complaints over the past two years, U.S. lawmakers will allow [...]
Last week, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) made the determination to reinstate 352 of 549 previously granted, extended, and recently expired product exclusions on goods from China that have been subject to Section 301 tariffs. FEDERAL REGISTER NOTICE: Notice of Reinstatement of Certain Exclusions: China’s Acts, Policies, [...]
On March 18, 2022, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a notice in the Federal Register advising that the quarterly Internal Revenue Service interest rates used to calculate interest on overdue accounts (underpayments) and refunds (overpayments) of Customs duties will increase by one percent from the previous period. For [...]
On Tuesday, March 8, 2022, the White House issued an Executive Order “finding that the Russian Federation’s unjustified, unprovoked, unyielding, and unconscionable war against Ukraine, including its recent further invasion in violation of international law, including the United Nations Charter, further threatens the peace, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of [...]
On Monday, February 21, 2022, the White House announced the first tranche of sanctions on Russia as conflict over two eastern Ukrainian regions escalated. With support from partner countries in the European Union, United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, and Australia; the United States President Biden has directed the following measures: Full [...]
U.S. shippers that have been plagued with demurrage and detention charges since the start of the pandemic may soon have recourse as the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) nears a final rule targeting unfair billing practices. “As rising cargo volumes have increasingly put pressure on common carrier, port and terminal performance, [...]
