It’s been quite a year for the Port of Houston, after a fire closure and a major tanker collision, the Houston Ship Channel has been under significant pressure to create safe passage for the 200 private and eight public terminals using the 52-mile federal waterway. Every day, the passage is utilized by [...]
On June 4, 2019, the U.S. Department of State announced new travel restriction for American citizens visiting Cuba limiting access for cruises, organized tours, as well as any private or recreational vessels or aircraft. Some cruise lines have already canceled port calls and sailings to the southern island country, forced [...]
On May 30, 2019, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) published the fifth and newest list of product exclusions to be exempt from the initial Section 301 trade action that impacted over $34 billion worth of goods from China. FULL USTR NOTICE OF PRODUCT EXCLUSIONS Exclusions are available for any [...]
Citing frustrations over illegal immigration, the U.S. President announced in a White House statement on Thursday, May 30, that the United States will implement a 5% tariff on all goods imported from Mexico beginning June 10. The message also places evaluation of the effectiveness of Mexico’s action to alleviate the [...]
On Thursday, May 30th at 8:00 AM, the British Columbia Maritime Employers Association (BCMEA) intends to lockout dockworkers from its West Coast ports, such as Vancouver and Prince Rupert. The action is the result of on-going labor contract negotiations with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union of Canada (ILWU Canada) that [...]
On Friday, May 24th, the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister, Theresa May, announced the decision to resign as leader of the Conservative Party and as Britain’s leader after failing to win support for plans to withdraw from the European Union. May’s announcement comes after proposing to the House of Commons the [...]
After a series of severe weather-related disruptions beginning in 2018, importers and exporters have begun focusing on the unpredictable impact extreme weather conditions can wreak on international supply chain trade flows. Natural disasters are one of a supply chains’ greatest vulnerabilities, unpredictably stalling commercial progress. For ill-prepared shippers, these weather [...]
Just as shippers hoped the trade dispute between China and the United States was coming close to a deal, issues during the negotiations have re-ignited tensions culminating in new tariffs on both sides of the Pacific. MAY 10, 25% DUTIES ON LIST 3 Last week, the Office of the U.S. [...]
Already plagued with severe weather, flooding, and legislative battles, the Houston Shipping Channel has been struck with yet another setback. On Friday, May 10that 3:30 PM, a 755-foot liquefied petroleum gas carrier, The Genesis, collided with two barges, containing 25,000 gallons of reformate each, being pulled by a tugboat. Reformate [...]
This past April, the local Port Authority implemented a rule limiting the number of calls a 9,500+ TEU vessel can have in the Houston Ship Channel. Piggybacking on the decision, Houston Ship Pilots also decided to prohibit two-way traffic on the narrow passageway further restricting the number of times a [...]
