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| Senate renews Ex-Im Bank charter |
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Wednesday, May 16, 2012
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The Senate voted 78-20 to pass a bill to renew the U.S. Export Import Bank's charter for another three years and raise its lending cap from $100 billion to $140 billion. The Coalition for Employment through Exports (CEE) and National Foreign Trade Council applauded the passing of H.R. 2072 (Securing American Jobs Through Exports Act of 2011) reauthorizing the Ex-Im Bank. John Hardy, president of CEE, said, “with the extension of the charter expiring at the end...
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| Washington Notebook: Calling on Hercules to rescue transport |
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Tuesday, May 15, 2012
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Rep. Hahn wants more policy focus on ports. Members of the congressional PORTS Caucus are scheduled to meet with U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood next month to press the connection between port investment and economic growth, Rep. Janice Hahn, D-Calif., told a pro-freight audience last week at the annual conference of the Coalition for America's Gateways and Trade Corridors on Capitol Hill. The PORTS Caucus, founded by Hahn last fall, has about 65 members. "We re...
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| U.S.-EU ink cooperation pact for trusted traders |
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Thursday, May 10, 2012
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U.S. and European Union customs officials have finalized an agreement to treat qualified shippers in their respective supply chain security programs as equivalent to their own, but a wide range of technical details must still be worked out before low-risk companies can enjoy reduced fees and inspection levels for ocean freight. Under the agreement signed last Friday, Customs and Border Protection will recognize voluntary participants in the EU's Authorized Ec...
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| Retailers push for Lacey Act revisions |
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Wednesday, May 09, 2012
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Retailers on Tuesday advised the House Committee on Natural Resources' subcommittee on fisheries, wildlife oceans and insular affairs that several significant compliance challenges have emerged from the 2008 Lacey Act Amendment that deserve attention from Congress. The law requires importers to provide to U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service details such as the genus, species and country of harvest for products that include wood m...
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| FIATA concerned over EU air freight security |
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Wednesday, May 09, 2012
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The International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA) has voiced concern over a pending EU regulation that requires independent validation of agents involved in air cargo shipments to Europe. The law is an amendment to the EU security regime for air cargo and mail and went into effect Feb 1. It requires an airline to validate agents in third-party countries on all shipments into Europe. “Simply put, there seems to be a gap between the expected cap...
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| MarAd posts guidance on Ex-Im Bank financing |
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Tuesday, May 08, 2012
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The Maritime Administration has posted guidance for shipments financed by the U.S. Export-Import Bank, as the House of Representatives is expected to take up Wednesday a bipartisan proposal for continued bank funding. MarAd describes its standard procedures for facilitating Ex-Im Bank cargo on U.S.-flag vessels, certification of U.S.-flag vessel non-availability, and reconsideration of the agency's determinations. In the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2011,...
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| Safety at Sea Seminar set for May 21 |
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Tuesday, May 08, 2012
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The North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) will hold a seminar on safety at sea in Washington May 21. The seminar, titled “Environmental Intelligence in Maritime: Safety at Sea” will feature discussions of shipboard safety, piracy, and an update on issues for seafarers and will begin at 3 p.m. at the National Press Club in Washington. Panelists will include Coast Guard Vice Adm. Brian Salerno; Michael Bohlman of Horizon Lines; Benjamin St...
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| U.S. spotlights China’s new solar trade supports |
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Monday, May 07, 2012
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China’s new five-year plan for its solar industry threatens to further incapacitate U.S. domestic and world market share, an industry group warned. "The Chinese government launched a trade war against the U.S. domestic industry, took over the leadership of the largest American industry trade association and began driving U.S. solar manufacturing pioneers out of business," said Gordon Brinser, president of SolarWorld Industries America, the largest U.S. solar manu...
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| Solar industry forms global trade group |
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Thursday, May 03, 2012
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Seven chief executives from the solar power industry on Wednesday announced the formation of an association to expand global trade in their companies' products. Global Solar Council members will engage policymakers worldwide to demonstrate the importance of a supportive policy and trade environment, which will enable the ongoing development of competitively‐priced solar energy, driving job creation and economic growth. “Through its members, the Global Solar Council ...
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| Senate argues against yarn-forward rules in TPP talks |
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Wednesday, May 02, 2012
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Members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership Apparel Coalition on Tuesday lauded a group of 15 U.S. senators who sent a letter to President Obama urging him to push for modern and flexible rules in the TPP, a multilateral trade agreement being negotiated among a cadre of Pacific nations. The senators asked the administration to abandon a push for the so-called “yarn-forward” rule of origin, saying it restricts textile and apparel trade among TPP partners. The bipartisan...
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| U.S. industry wants sugar on TPP table |
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Tuesday, May 01, 2012
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More than a dozen industry associations has asked the Obama administration to include sugar as part of the comprehensive free trade negotiations between the country members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. “We believe that for purposes of the TPP, all products and subject areas should be on the negotiating table regardless of any less-than-comprehensive free trade agreements that may already exist among two or more of the parties. In particular, sugar should not be excluded fro...
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| Concern voiced over low sulfur fuel |
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Monday, April 30, 2012
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Both support and concerns about looming requirements for the use of ultra-low sulfur fuel by ships were aired Thursday during a meeting of the U.S. House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation. Chris Koch, president and chief executive officer of the World Shipping Council, told the subcommittee his organization supported amendments to MARPOL Annex VI, as adopted by the International Maritime Organization, which he said “will result in significant impr...
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| Miami settlement removes port dredge obstacles |
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Friday, April 27, 2012
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Opponents of dredging the Port of Miami's main shipping channel to 50 feet will withdraw petitions seeking to block the project after Miami-Dade County officials agreed to contribute $2.3 million to support environmental programs aimed at protecting and restoring Biscayne Bay, the county announced Thursday. The deal, which must still be approved by the Board of County Commissioners at its May 1 meeting, will allow the Army Corps of Engineers to move ahead with c...
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| U.S. Customs corrects delays for broker licenses |
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Thursday, April 26, 2012
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U.S. citizens applying to become customs brokers should be able to obtain their licenses in a quarter of the time it now takes once U.S. Customs completes a nationwide rollout of a new system for processing their applications. Licenses are being approved in less than three months compared to the normal nine to 12 months under a pilot program underway at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and Chicago's O'Hare airport, Brenda Brockman Smith, the agenc...
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| UPS pilots angered by FAA rest regs |
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Thursday, April 26, 2012
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UPS pilots on Tuesday filed a petitioner's brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, challenging the Federal Aviation Administration's exclusion of cargo operations from new rules governing pilot duty and rest requirements. "The FAA acted contrary to Congress' mandate when the agency published new pilot duty and rest rules in December excluding a vast and growing segment of U.S. commercial aviation – cargo,” said William Trent, general counsel for the Independe...
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| 'Key moment' for regulating NVOs, forwarders |
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Wednesday, April 25, 2012
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The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission will take steps to begin the process of modernizing regulations for non-vessel-operating common carrier and ocean freight forwarder licensing, registration, and proof of financial responsibility when it meets next month, FMC Chairman Richard A. Lidinsky Jr. said Tuesday at the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America's conference in Hollywood, Fla. “I want to hear from you because right now we...
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| FDA continues global import safety push |
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Wednesday, April 25, 2012
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has released its Global Engagement Report, detailing the many activities and strategies the agency is currently using to transform itself from a domestic to a global public health agency. Specifically, the report describes steps FDA is taking to ensure that imports of food, drugs, medical devices, and other regulated products meet the same rigorous standards for safety and quality as those manufactured domestically. “As our wor...
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| iCargo launches EU-funded framework |
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Wednesday, April 25, 2012
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iCargo, a pan-European cargo and logistics project partly funded by the European Union, has officially launched its three-and-a-half-year framework program with the first focus on reducing emissions and facilitating load combining. The “Intelligent Cargo in Efficient and Sustainable Global Logistics Operations” project has a goal of improving real-world logistics operations and problem resolution with a focus on the EU, though systems and recommendations can be easily applied el...
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| EPA offers $20 million to combat diesel emissions |
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Tuesday, April 24, 2012
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States, local governments and non-profit organizations can apply for up to $20 million worth of grants from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help programs aimed at replacing older diesel engines with cleaner alternatives. The EPA on Friday opened the fiscal year 2012 application process for the Diesel Emission Reduction Program (DERA). Another $9 million in funding will be available through state environmental programs, it said. Late-model diesel en...
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| Two House bills could help ports |
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Thursday, April 19, 2012
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One way or another U.S. harbors may get more money for maintaining shipping channels this year. On Wednesday, the House of Representatives voted 293 to 127 in favor of H.R. 4348, the 2012 Surface Transportation Extension Act. The bill will extend by three months past June 30 funding for transportation and transit projects and includes a provision that would result in additional funding for harbor maintenance. Rep. Charles W. Boustany Jr., R-La., said...
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| U.S.-Colombia FTA takes effect May 15 |
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Tuesday, April 17, 2012
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The White House announced Monday that the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement will take effect on May 15. The announcement follows completion of work by the United States and Colombia to review each other’s laws and regulations related to the agreement's implementation, as well as Colombia’s steps to deal with labor rights. Before President Obama’s announcement, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk exchanged letters with government officials in Colombia in which each country c...
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| Savannah study recommends 47-foot depth |
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Thursday, April 12, 2012
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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released a report Wednesday recommending the Savannah River be deepened from 42 to 47 feet. The Savannah Harbor Expansion Project study, which consists of a General Re-evaluation Report and an Environmental Impact Statement, looked at options ranging from keeping the harbor at its current depth to deepening it to 48 feet. It concluded that deepening the harbor from its current depth of 42 feet to 47 feet is "economically viable, environment...
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| Sweetener firms urge immediate TRQ increase |
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Thursday, April 12, 2012
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The Sweetener Users Association has continued its campaign to get the U.S. Department of Agriculture to increase the country’s tariff-rate quota for raw and refined sugar imports. “World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates sharply illustrate the need for a substantial and immediate increase in the tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for raw and refined sugar, as well as a reallocation of existing TRQs and other steps, in order to assure adequate supplies at reasonable prices during t...
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| Recognizing Cachaça and Bourbon |
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Tuesday, April 10, 2012
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On Monday, the United States sent a letter to Brazil stating that it will recognize Cachaça as a distinctive product of Brazil, while Brazil said in a letter it will designate Bourbon Whiskey and Tennessee Whiskey as distinctive products of the United States. “Cachaça and Bourbon and Tennessee Whiskey are among the United States’ and Brazil’s most unique and well-recognized products,” said U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, in a statement. “This exchange of letters represents a...
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| Washington Notebook: Regulatory nuggets |
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Tuesday, April 10, 2012
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DOT bans motor carrier The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Monday ordered J&A Transportation of New Jersey to shut down operations because it posed a threat to public safety. The agency, part of the Department of Transportation, placed J&A out of service after multiple hours-of-service, driver and vehicle maintenance violations were discovered during roadside inspections. FMCSA found the trucking company continued to operate without an ...
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| Global import safety cooperation urged |
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Friday, April 06, 2012
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A report released this week by a committee of the Institute of Medicine urged the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and its overseas counterparts from the top industrialized nations to work together to help developing countries improve their regulatory systems for food and drug oversight. The discovery of a counterfeit version of the cancer drug Avastin earlier this year further underscored the challenges for U.S. regulators as imports increasingly dominate the American mar...
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| EU seeks input on trade defense modernization |
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Friday, April 06, 2012
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The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Trade is starting work on the modernization of the European Union’s trade defense operations — mainly antidumping and countervailing duties, safeguards, and similar protections — and seeks input from importers, producers, and other companies that deal with cross-border trade. Trade defense instruments in this case are largely the means that governments and companies use to address what they feel as unfair international tradi...
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| Sondey to chair lessor group |
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Thursday, April 05, 2012
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Brian Sondey, chairman, chief executive officer and president of TAL International Group, Inc., has been elected chairman of the Institute of International Container Lessors for 2012, He succeeds Peter Younger of Cronos, Ltd. Organized in 1971, the IICL is a trade association, representing lessors of maritime containers and intermodal chassis. Its member companies, Beacon, CAI, Cronos, Dong Fang, Flexi-Van, Florens, Seaco, SeaCube, TAL International, Textainer, Touax, TRAC Interm...
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| Saltchuk names Coakley VP, government affairs |
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Tuesday, April 03, 2012
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Christopher A. Coakley has been named vice president, government affairs at Saltchuk Resources. Coakley, who is based in Washington, D.C., will represent Saltchuk’s interests at the federal level and will coordinate the company’s public policy efforts nationwide. He will also be Saltchuk’s representative on the executive committee of the American Maritime Partnership, a trade organization for operators of Jones Act ships. Saltchuk, headquartered in Seattl...
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| U.S. seeks WTO compliance in EU plane battle |
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Monday, April 02, 2012
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The United States on Friday asked the World Trade Organization to set up a compliance panel to address the European Union’s failure to remove WTO-inconsistent subsidies to aircraft manufacturer Airbus. “We refuse to stand by while American businesses and workers are disadvantaged,” said U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, in a statement. “The European Union’s aircraft subsidies have cost American aerospace companies tens of billions of dollars in lost revenue, which has cost Am...
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| Group points up tank barge capabilities |
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Friday, March 30, 2012
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A trade association for the U.S. domestic shipping industry is expressing concern that a recent government report severely underestimates the size of the Jones Act's tank vessel fleet and its ability to transport petroleum products from the U.S. Gulf to the East Coast to make up for lost production as a result of East Coast refineries shutting down. The Jones Act requires products moving between two points in the United States to be transported on vessels built and registe...
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| Congress passes transport bill extension |
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Friday, March 30, 2012
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Both the House and Senate passed 90-day extensions of the nation's major surface transportation bill on Thursday after the House failed to agree on longer term legislation. The House approved H.R. 4281, the ninth extension of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users, by a vote of 266 to 158. The Senate approved the bill by voice vote a few hours later. House Republicans issued a press release trumpeti...
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| Sweetner users want TRQ for sugar raised |
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Thursday, March 29, 2012
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A group of sweetner users asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Wednesday to “take immediate action on April 1 to increase the tariff rate quota (TRQ) for sugar, and simultaneously work with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to reallocate known shortfalls under the current quota.” “The U.S. market needs substantial additional supplies of sugar, and a TRQ increase is the only way to provide adequate supplies at reasonable prices,” said the Sweetner Users Associat...
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| U.S. politicians weigh in on port labor situation |
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Tuesday, March 27, 2012
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House lawmakers canvassed last week at a port industry conference in Washington had differing opinions about the potential need for federal intervention to keep trade flowing if growing labor tension between marine terminal operators and unionized dockworkers on the Eastern seaboard and Gulf Coast is not resolved by Sept. 30. Asked about the potential impact if negotiations involving the International Longshoremen's Association stall, Rep. Janice Hahn, said, "It's vital that our...
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| NYSA says Bayonne Bridge timing critical |
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Tuesday, March 27, 2012
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The New York Shipping Association Monday lauded a request by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to expedite federal review of plans to raise the roadbed of the Bayonne Bridge so that larger ships can pass beneath it. Last Friday the port authority submitted to federal officials a formal request that the project be considered for expedited review under President Obama's executive order on permitting and federal review. "In making this ...
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| Congress expected to rollover transport programs through June |
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Monday, March 26, 2012
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Mica Rep. John Mica, the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, last week introduced legislation to extend by three months federal authority for highway and transit programs that are scheduled to expire on March 31. The House leadership is expected to bring the measure to the floor for a vote this week. Congress has passed eight extensions to maintain the status quo since the last multiyear framework for surface transportation ...
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| Shipping chamber honors Coast Guard's Salerno |
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Monday, March 26, 2012
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The Chamber of Shipping of America presented its Halert C. Shepheard Award to Vice Adm. Brian M. Salerno, deputy commandant for operations at the U.S. Coast Guard, last week during the Connecticut Maritime Association's Shipping 2012 conference. The award recognizes an individual who has made exceptional contributions to merchant marine safety, security or environmental protection.
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| AgTC draws Korea ag origin certificate |
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Friday, March 23, 2012
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The Agriculture Transportation Coalition (AgTC) said Thursday it has prepared a certificate of origin for agriculture products for use on shipments to South Korea now that a free trade agreement between the United States and South Korea has kicked in. Under the agreement, which became effective March 15, South Korean import duties on U.S. agriculture and forest products have been reduced, and in some cases eliminated. For exports to qualify, they must show that the product's cou...
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| Pirate ransom ban could endanger crews |
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Tuesday, March 20, 2012
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A leading ship manager on Monday sounded the alarm over efforts to ban ransom payments to pirates, saying it could further endanger seafarers and make traversing some shipping routes impractical. Addressing the opening session of the Connecticut Maritime Association’s Shipping 2012 conference in Stamford, Alastair Evitt, managing director of Meridian Marine Management, president of InterManager and the newly appointed chairman of the Save Our Seafarers Campaign, said a...
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| U.S. Coast Guard steps up Arctic activity |
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Tuesday, March 20, 2012
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The U.S. Coast Guard is stepping up its activity in the Arctic in response to increased shipping activity and oil exploration, said Sally Brice-O'Hara, the agency's vice commandant. Speaking Monday at the Connecticut Maritime Association's Shipping 2012 conference in Stamford, Brice-O'Hara said the Coast Guard is watching as new trade routes emerge, noting there was "some success this year with north sea routes along the coast of Russia." Sh...
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| Evitt heads antipiracy group |
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Monday, March 19, 2012
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Alastair Evitt, president of ship management industry group InterManager and managing director of Meridian Marine Management Ltd., was appointed chairman of the Save Our Seafarers (SOS). SOS is an international martime industry campaign focused on raising awareness of the human and economic cost of Somali piracy and calling for greater political will for antipiracy actions. Evitt, previously SOS vice ...
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| 'Double chaos' warned in shipping regulation |
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Monday, March 19, 2012
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Spyros M. Polemis, chairman of the International Chamber of Shipping, is sounding the alarm over what he calls "aspirational" environmental legislation which sets standards that cannot be met, and has called for uniform global regulation of the shipping industry. In an advance copy of a speech he is scheduled to give Monday at the Connecticut Maritime Association's Shipping 2012 conference in Stamford, Polemis says "particularly when speaking in the United States, it ...
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| ATA says HOS rule 'arbitrary and capricious' |
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Friday, March 16, 2012
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In a filing with U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the American Trucking Associations said several aspects of the new hours of service (HOS) rule issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration are "arbitrary and capricious" and should be overturned. ATA questioned changes to the restart provision requiring that it include two consecutive periods between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.; limits on the frequency with which a driver may use the rest...
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| Senate passes two-year highway bill |
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Thursday, March 15, 2012
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The U.S. Senate on Tuesday passed a two-year, $109 billion bill reauthorizing Department of Transportation programs for highway infrastructure and safety. The 74-22 vote in favor of S. 1813, the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) was a rare display of bipartisanship in a legislative body that has had difficulty agreeing on anything in the past two years. The bill allows spending for highway, transit and rail programs to continue at exis...
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| U.S. sugar trade reform sought |
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Wednesday, March 14, 2012
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The Coalition for Sugar Reform has asked the Senate Agriculture Committee to abolish antiquated aspects of the country’s sugar trade policies in the proposed 2012 Farm Bill, especially U.S. subsidies for domestic producers. The coalition said these subsidies “distort free markets through an intrusive, big government regime that dictates sales quotas to individual companies” and “hamper U.S. export policy by compelling our (trade) negotiators to defend protectionist policies.” &...
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| Coalition seeks permanent trade relations with Russia |
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Wednesday, March 14, 2012
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More than 150 trade groups on Tuesday appealed to Senate lawmakers to establish permanent trade relations with Russia. The Coalition for U.S.-Russia Trade, which comprises businesses from a wide range of industries, advocates proposed legislation for the graduation of Russia from the Jackson-Vanik amendment to the 1974 Trade Act, enabling Congress to approve permanent trade relations with Russia before the country’s expected entry into the World Trade Organizatio...
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| Obama offers manufacturing resources with job rise |
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Monday, March 12, 2012
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The U.S. economy added 227,000 jobs in February, the Labor Department reported Friday, but the leap in job creation did not alter the 8.3 percent unemployment rate because people who gave up looking for work are actively seeking jobs again, analysts said. The stronger-than-expected increase was below the gain of 284,000 jobs in January, but is further sign that the U.S. economy is gradually recovering as companies hire to meet growing consumer demand. The manufacturing sec...
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| CBP's West Coast trade symposium set for May |
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Friday, March 09, 2012
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced Thursday it will hold its first Trade Symposium event this year on May 10 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, Calif. The annual event has taken place in Washington each of the past 11 years, but CBP officials decided to add a second Trade Symposium on the West Coast to reduce the cost and inconvenience for members of the trade community in that part of the country. CBP plans to hold the East Coast version of...
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| Report: U.S. recycling legislation violates trade law |
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Wednesday, March 07, 2012
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The Congressional Research Service (CRS) has released a new report finding that The Responsible Recycling Act (RERA, S. 1270, HR 2284) violates international trade law. The report notes the total export ban called for by RERA will be “difficult to reconcile with the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), one of the World Trade Organization (WTO) agreements and could be susceptible to challenge before a WTO panel.” CRS works for Congress providing polic...
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| Aidmatrix offers new humanitarian aid platform |
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Tuesday, March 06, 2012
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Aidmatrix Foundation has released the latest version of its Aidmatrix Network for Humanitarian Relief, shifting to a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model for its partnering with non-governmental agencies (NGOs), businesses, and government agencies. The foundation said the major additions include integrated platforms like the SCM4Good, SCM4Giving, and SCM4Hunger. These integrated platforms provide end-to-end offering for the delivery of humanitarian aid within an NGO's g...
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| CBP, TSA take air cargo security pilot to next level |
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Monday, March 05, 2012
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U.S. Customs and Border Protection is expected to release this month a draft strategic plan for taking its Air Cargo Advanced Screening system from a limited pilot program to a mandatory requirement that carriers pre-file information on all air shipments bound for the United States, according to industry representatives and government officials involved in the project. Publication of the program blueprint comes as the security program prepares to enter its second phase, with s...
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| U.S.-flag shipowners want to haul oil reserves |
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Thursday, March 01, 2012
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A group representing U.S. shipping companies is expressing concern that if President Obama allows the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to be tapped that the oil industry may once again try to move much of the oil using foreign vessels. American Maritime Partnership (AMP), a broad-based coalition representing U.S.-flag vessel operators, maritime unions, and allied interests, says "release of oil from the SPR in 2011 resulted in nearly 50 waivers of the Jones Act, allowing ...
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| Grains Council puts exports information on Web |
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Wednesday, February 29, 2012
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The U.S. Grains Council – which develops export markets for U.S. barley, corn, sorghum, and related products – has launched an update version of its Website, grains.org . The Website, part of the Council’s branding and communications initiative, showcases the latest news and data surrounding the U.S. and global grain trade and markets. The site includes charts for current free on board (FOB) reference prices , market spreads for commodities at port, as well as the top U.S. expo...
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| Shippers react to FMC report on EC liner rules |
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Thursday, February 23, 2012
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Shipper organizations have begun to weigh in on a report released last week by the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission about the impacts from the European Commission’s 2008 repeal of an exemption for liner shipping companies from European Union competition law. Peter Gatti, executive vice president of the National Industrial Transportation League, noted the study found no significant relative change in rate levels in the Asia-Europe and transpacific trad...
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| U.S. Customs eyes two more CEEs by October |
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Wednesday, February 22, 2012
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The number of Industry Integration Centers for Excellence and Expertise within U.S. Customs devoted to centralizing the import process for trusted shippers could double to four this fiscal year, Acting Deputy Commissioner Thomas Winkowski recently said. Customs and Border Protection last fall established two Centers of Excellence and Expertise (CEE) - one in New York that deals with the pharmaceutical industry and one in Los Angeles responsible for electronics - as ...
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| U.S.-South Korea FTA enters force March 15 |
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Wednesday, February 22, 2012
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The White House on Tuesday said the U.S.-South Korea free trade agreement will enter into force on March 15. The announcement followed the completion over the President’s Day weekend of work by the United States and South Korea to review each other’s laws and regulations related to the implementation of the agreement. The United States has exchanged diplomatic notes with South Korea in which each side confirmed that they had completed their legal requirements and proc...
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| Export reform update at Silicon Valley seminar |
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Wednesday, February 22, 2012
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The U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security Undersecretary Eric L. Hirschhorn on March 1 will meet with leading Silicon Valley companies to update them on the reform of the country’s export control regulations. The two-hour seminar, scheduled from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at SAP in Palo Alto, Calif., is sponsored by Women in International Trade – Northern California. The seminar will include a preview of proposed rulings and how companies are impacted by the e...
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| FMC report could revive regulation debate |
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Friday, February 17, 2012
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The debate about how the container shipping industry should be regulated may be revived with the release of a major report by the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission on Thursday about the decision by the European Union to end the so-called "block exemption" for liner companies under EU competition law in 2008. In a telephone interview, FMC Chairman Richard A. Lidinsky Jr. said the central conclusion of the report was positive for U.S. shippers. "Most armch...
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| STB to examine Buffett's BNSF buy |
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Friday, February 17, 2012
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The U.S. Surface Transportation Board said Thursday it will hold a March 22 public hearing to explore the impact of Berkshire Hathaway's acquisition of the BNSF Railway in 2010 on certain costing determinations. Berkshire, headed by the billionaire investor Warren Buffett, paid $43 billion to acquire BNSF. STB said the Western Coal Traffic League (WCTL) and other parties argue that BNSF's acquisition price produced an $8.1 billion write-up in the r...
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| ATA files suit on driver fatigue rule |
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Wednesday, February 15, 2012
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As anticipated, the American Trucking Associations on Tuesday filed a petition asking a federal court to review the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s recently published final rule changing the hours-of-service regulations for commercial truck drivers. The new rulemaking retained the 11-hour daily driving limit for truck drivers, which the agency considered shortening by an hour. But it increased the required rest period for drivers at the end of each wee...
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