USMCA

US-Mexico trade up in November as Trump’s tariffs loom

As President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration nears, uncertainty remains over how his tariffs and economic policies will affect business between the U.S. and its biggest international trade partners: Mexico, Canada and China.

Trump has repeatedly said he would slap tariffs as high as 25% on Mexico and Canada, along with an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods.

“It’s very confusing right now. Trade between Mexico and the U.S. is growing, and our countries are very integrated,” Jorge Canavati,...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/us-mexico-trade-up-in-november-as-trumps-tariffs-loom

Amid uncertain trade outlook, higher Asia-US container rates the only sure bet

Shippers continue to fuel upward movement in trans-Pacific container rates as 2025 approaches, and there are likely more increases on the way.

While frontloading by importers looking to beat tariffs threatened by President-elect Donald Trump on China goods helped U.S. gateways to record volumes in November, prices aren’t expected to decline all that much amid a host of looming factors in the coming weeks. 

Rates for containers moving from Asia to U.S. West Coast ports increased 8% to $4,825 per...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/amid-uncertain-trade-outlook-higher-asia-us-container-rates-the-only-sure-bet

US-Mexico trade relations enter “uncharted territory,” expert says

Against a backdrop of soaring U.S.-Mexico trade and growth along the border regions, the World Affairs Council of San Antonio, Texas, hosted a panel discussion Wednesday titled “U.S.-Mexico Bilateral Relationship: North America as a Region.”

The panel featured former Mexican Ambassador to the United States Geronimo Gutierrez Fernandez; Romanita Matta-Barrera, chief advancement officer for Greater:SATX Regional Economic Partnership; and Jorge Canavati, principal at logistics provider J. Canavati...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/us-mexico-trade-relations-enter-uncharted-territory-expert-says

Mexico Borderlands: Volkswagen autoworkers fired for union activities, say US officials

U.S. trade authorities have filed a labor complaint with Mexico over allegations that a Volkswagen assembly plant in Puebla, Mexico, unfairly fired union activists.

The complaint filed by the U.S. Trade Representative’s office Tuesday follows an April 25 petition filed by 10 fired workers who allege Volkswagen Mexico violated the workers’ freedom of association and collective bargaining rights at the plant, the country’s largest and longest-operating auto factory.

“Retaliating against workers for...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/volkswagen-mexico-autoworkers-fired-for-union-activities-say-us-officials

How China skirts tariffs into the US

In Maersk’s press release last week about a new warehousing facility in Tijuana, Mexico, one line stood out. It was sandwiched between a list of value-added services offered and a paragraph about the facility’s sustainable energy practices and certifications.

“Alternatively, it could operate [fulfillment or e-fulfillment] operations into the United States, leveraging the Section 321 Shipment Type** for e-commerce shipments.”

Under U.S. Customs and Border Protection rules, a Section 321 shipment...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/how-china-skirts-tariffs-into-the-us

Goodyear Tire plant ordered to pay $4M in back pay to Mexican workers

More than 1,300 workers and former employees at a Goodyear Tire & Rubber factory in Mexico will receive $4.2 million in back pay as part of a labor rights mediation plan, U.S. authorities said.

The mediation announced by the Department of Labor on Monday was the result of an investigation under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada-Agreement’s (USMCA) rapid response labor mechanism of the Goodyear Tire facility in the central Mexican city of San Luis Potosi. The USMCA is a trade pact signed by the three...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/goodyear-tire-plant-ordered-to-pay-4m-in-back-pay-to-mexican-workers

Mexican cargo airline accused of labor violations under USMCA

A U.S. panel tasked with enforcing labor provisions of the United States-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement has asked the government of Mexico to investigate whether cargo airline Mas has denied the right of pilots to organize for bargaining purposes.

The Department of Labor said Wednesday an interagency committee received a complaint last month from Mexico’s Associated Union of Aviation Pilots (ASPA) that Mas, which rebranded last year from MasAir, engaged in intimidation, interference and...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/mexican-cargo-airline-accused-of-labor-violations-under-usmca

Mexico breaks record for cargo vehicle production, exports

Exports of heavy-duty cargo trucks to the U.S. helped propel truck makers in Mexico to their best year ever, as production increased 20.6% year over year (y/y), according to Miguel Elizalde, president of Mexico’s National Association of Bus, Truck and Tractor Producers (Anpact).

During 2022, the 16 truck makers that are members of Anpact manufactured 195,789 heavy vehicles, beating the previous record of 195,499 vehicles manufactured in 2019.

Exports of trucks in 2022 totaled 166,878 units, an...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/mexico-breaks-record-for-cargo-vehicle-production-exports

Borderlands: Xometry CEO predicts expanded manufacturing in US 

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Borderlands is a weekly rundown of developments in the world of U.S.-Mexico cross-border trucking...

CP CEO: KCS merger opens up Lazaro port as Pacific alternative

NEW YORK — With the merger of Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern awaiting final U.S. government approval in 2023, the CEOs of both companies presented their case about the benefits of the deal Tuesday to an audience of rail executives. 

The presentations at Progressive Railroading’s RailTrends conference by Keith Creel, CEO of Canadian Pacific (NYSE: CP), and Patrick Ottensmeyer, CEO of KCS, both highlighted on a screen the map that drove the $31 billion merger that was completed about a...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/cp-ceo-kcs-merger-opens-up-lazaro-port-as-pacific-alternative

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