FEDERAL MARITIME COMMISSION: FACT FINDING INVESTIGATION 29 FINAL REPORT Effects of the Covid-19 Pandemic on the U.S. International Ocean Supply Chain: Stakeholder Engagement and Possible Violations of 46 U.S.C. § 41102(C) On May 31, 2022, the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) published Fact Finding Investigation 29 Final Report on “The Effects [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Under the second phase of California’s Clean Truck Program, on April 1, 2022, the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach will begin implementing a Clean Truck Fund (CTF) Rate with the goal of generating funds to encourage the adoption and deployment of clean trucks and achieve a zero-emission [...]
On March 11, 2022, United States President Biden signed a new Executive Order Prohibiting Certain Imports, Exports, and New Investment with Respect to Continued Russian Federation Aggression. IMPORT RESTRICTION (i) the importation into the United States of the following products of Russian Federation origin: fish, seafood, and preparations thereof; alcoholic [...]
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 [...]
Since mid-December, Malaysia has been experiencing unusually heavy rainfall resulting in nationwide floods. Flooding intensified over the weekend causing extreme damage throughout seven Malaysian states; Kelantan Terengganu Pahang Johor Malacca Negeri Sembilan Sabah The flooding is impacting all major ocean terminals in Malaysia. Neither terminal operators nor ocean carriers have [...]
On Wednesday, December 8, 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the passing of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act (OSRA) of 2021. The new legislation addresses complaints from U.S. shippers regarding ocean carrier storage fee policies and container prioritization practices. The bill was sponsored by John Garamendi, the Democrat Representative [...]
On Tuesday, November 16th, the Port of Vancouver announced that all rail access had been cut due to inclement weather further east. Heavy downpours over two days in the Pacific province of British Columbia have caused major flooding which has led to the closure of rail routes run by Canadian [...]
Growing pressure to ease port congestion and restore transportation fluidity to U.S. supply chains has been building since early summer as record numbers of ocean vessels line the California coast waiting to berth and containers sit in overflow yards waiting to be delivered. As the supply chain crisis of [...]
