Trade and Compliance

US-Canada border closure has silver linings, customs broker says

Trucks crossing the U.S.-Canada border.

Since the United States-Canada border closed to nonessential travel in March, trucks have continued to move goods between the countries freely, even benefiting from the drop in car traffic. But one particular corner of the supply chain stopped in its tracks: the informal cross-border logistics of ordinary Canadians and small businesses.

“When the borders closed, getting those items across got more difficult,” Graham Robins, president and CEO of Vancouver-based A & A Customs Brokers, told...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/us-canada-border-closure-has-silver-linings-customs-broker-says

FMC’s Canadian ballast water rule investigation begins

The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) said on Tuesday it will start its investigation into whether Canada’s proposed ballast water regulations discriminate against U.S.-flag vessels operating in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway.

The FMC published a notice on its website setting a 30-day deadline for interested parties to submit comments related to the commission’s investigation. The notice will also be published in the Federal Register soon.

On May 20, the five FMC commissioners —...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/fmcs-canadian-ballast-water-rule-investigation-begins

Commentary: Intra-Asia trade waving economic distress flag

The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates. 

A recent “surge” in containers from China has created a plethora of bullish headlines signaling a possible turnaround. Well, don’t pop the champagne yet. The flow of trade within a critical supply chain trade route will tell you to put that bottle of bubbly back on ice.

A line of drayage tractors wait to be unloaded at portside.
(Photo credit: Jim...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/commentary:-intra-asia-trade-waving-economic-distress-flag

CEVA Logistics widens stance in Africa

CEVA Logistics on Monday, June 15, announced that it has acquired a majority stake in African freight logistics specialist AMI Worldwide to significantly expand its footprint on the continent.

AMI, which also operates under the name Manica, has about 1,000 employees among a network of offices in 12 east and southern African countries. The employees and offices will become part of CEVA, starting July 1, with full integration expected to be completed by December.

Financial terms of the deal were...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/ceva-logistics-widens-stance-in-africa

Port of LA director fears permanent loss of imports

The Port of Los Angeles has been battered by its slowest May since the recession of 2009.

Year-over-year volume was down 30%, from the 828,662 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) handled in May 2019 to 581,664 TEUs this year. 

“Key factors included America’s shutdown economically due to COVID-19’s pandemic. There’s less consumer purchasing, less U.S. manufacturing. We also see the continuing negative impact of the trade war between the United States and China and the policies that have been in...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/port-of-la-director-fears-permanent-loss-of-imports

FMC eases some publication requirements for ocean container carriers

The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) on Thursday adopted a final rule that eases certain publication requirements for ocean container carriers, providing partial relief sought by the World Shipping Council in a 2018 petition to the agency.

The FMC’s approval of the rule follows a Feb. 14 notice of proposed rulemaking, in which the agency received two public comments.

John Butler, president and CEO of the World Shipping Council (Photo: Courtesy)

The new rule amends the FMC’s regulations...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/fmc-eases-some-publication-requirements-for-ocean-container-carriers

Commentary: USMCA is imminent

The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates. 

The United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) officially replaces the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) on July 1, 2020. This is almost two years after the tri-national negotiations wrapped up on September 30, 2018. In outlining USMCA’s “entry into force,” the United States Trade Representative (USTR) looked forward to a “more balanced, reciprocal...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/commentary-usmca-is-imminent

US customs brokers, forwarders cautiously trickle back to offices

After several months of stay-at-home orders, America’s customs brokerage and freight forwarding firms are preparing to reopen their offices in the weeks and months ahead. However, these companies do not anticipate a return to pre-coronavirus conditions, industry experts say.

“Our return-to-office plan considers that the future of work, as we have known it for all companies around the world, is shifting,” Marcia Lyssy, chief human resources officer for BDP International, told American Shipper.

Phil...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/us-customs-brokers-forwarders-cautiously-trickle-back-to-offices

Commentary: Can managed trade really work?

The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates. 

Managed trade, ironically, is hard to manage. This is especially true when it is between the world’s two largest economies trying to settle their trade and political disputes. The U.S.-China trade war entered a détente of sorts with the “Phase 1” trade deal signed on January 15, 2020. Between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021, China is required to import more...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/commentary-can-managed-trade-really-work

More air cargo finds its sea legs during COVID-19

Escalating airfreight transportation rates and capacity shortages out of China in recent months due to the coronavirus pandemic have led many shippers to try hybrid services that combine sea and air modes.

So-called “sea-air” services offered by some global freight forwarders and non-vessel-operating common carriers (NVOCCs) have been around for decades, but they tend to come and go depending on airfreight market conditions.

Mortan Bach, global chief commercial officer, Shipco Trasport (Courtesy...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/more-air-cargo-finds-its-sea-legs-during-covid-19

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