Operations have resumed at both the Port of Los Angeles and the Port of Long Beach after workers returned for their evening shift on Friday night, Bloomberg reported on April 7, ending a worker shortage that began the previous day (see 2304070060). The Pacific Maritime Association, which represents West Coast ports, had claimed that the shortage was due to deliberate action by the International Longshore and Warehouse Union amid contract negotiations (see 2304070060).
The Environmental Protection Agency released a final rule April 10 setting new significant new use rules (SNURs) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for 28 chemical substances subject to Premanufacture Notices (PMNs). As a result of the SNURs, persons planning to manufacture, import or process any of the chemical substances for an activity designated as a significant new use by this rule are required to notify EPA at least 90 days in advance. Importers of chemicals subject to these SNURs will need to certify their compliance with the SNUR requirements, and exporters of these chemical substances will now become subject to export notification requirements. The final rule takes effect June 12. The SNURs cover the following:
CBP will not be granting any additional extensions for new aluminum entry summary filing requirements related to Section 232 tariffs on Russia, a CBP official confirmed during a webinar hosted by the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America on April 6.
CBP has started to shift its enforcement focus to Type 86 entries as use of the relatively new entry type for de minimis shipments grows and the agency sees a "large percentage of violations" related to use of the entry type, CBP's James Moore said during an April 5 webinar hosted by the agency.
MVM Logistics and MSC Mediterranean Shipping Co. (USA) Inc. submitted a Stipulation of Dismissal of a complaint, agreeing to continue settlement negotiations without the Federal Maritime Commission, the agency announced March 31. MVM in an October complaint accused MSC of charging $800,000 in unfair fees and failing to "establish, observe, and enforce just and reasonable regulations and practices relating to or connected with receiving, handling, storing, or delivering property" (see 2210260029). MSC denied those allegations, saying the allegations were "so vague and ambiguous as to make it impractical" (see 2211220017). The FMC said it will discontinue the proceedings without prejudice.
The Federal Maritime Commission released a list of Ocean Transportation Intermediary license applications recently filed with the FMC. The applications, from 11 companies, include "license reissuance" applications, name change requests and more.
A proposal to amend the Seafood Import Monitoring Regulations to require the importer of record to hold the International Fisheries Trade Permit and require foreign importers of record to appoint a U.S. resident agent to hold the IFTP would upend "longstanding commercial practices" with "no measurable improvement in SIMP supply chain tracking," the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America said in comments to the National Marine Fisheries Service dated March 17.
CBP should extend the maximum in-transit time for merchandise from 30 to 60 days, the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee said in a recommendation adopted at its March 29 quarterly meeting. The extension would "harmonize that threshold across all modes" and help better accommodate movements requiring extra transit time, which would lessen the need to request extensions, the COAC said.
The Biden administration should "quickly" help the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association reach a new labor agreement to "ensure there is no disruption" to the operations of U.S. ports on the West Coast, more than 200 trade groups wrote in a March 24 letter to the White House. Because Marty Walsh left as secretary of the Department of Labor in February, it's crucial that a "new administration point person" be designated to help negotiations continue, the groups said.
The Federal Maritime Commission on March 24 approved a confidential settlement agreement to resolve a detention and demurrage dispute between Philip Reinisch Co. and Flexport International. The "proceeding would require potentially expensive discovery and briefing," the FMC said, and both parties "determined that the settlement reasonably resolves the issues raised in the complaint without the need for costly and uncertain litigation."