Archive for February, 2009

MUMBAI, India — Unionized port and dockworkers at India’s major ports plan a nationwide strike on March 10 to press for higher wages and other demands.

Money is a terrible thing to waste. Yet that’s what U.S. exporters and importers often do by failing to claim duty refunds for which they might qualify under the federal government’s drawback program.

Manufacturers can claim drawback on imported components that are used in the production of U.S. goods that are then exported. The refunds allow exporters to be more competitive by selling finished goods at a lower price, according to Mike Daly, director of U.S. consulting for Livingston Consulting.

The Port of Long Beach will begin collecting a Clean Trucks Fee on February 18, 2009 to accelerate the replacement of thousands of polluting cargo trucks. At the same time the Port will kick off an electronic gate access system that will enable the fee collection and improve security at shipping terminals.

The United States International Trade Commission (ITC) is seeking input on a newly initiated investigation concerning proposed modifications of the U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (USSFTA) rules of origin.

The investigation, Certain Yarns and Fabrics FY 2009: Effect of Modification of the U.S.- Singapore Free Trade Agreement Rules of Origin, was requested by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) in a letter received on January 28, 2009.

As requested, the ITC, an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency, will provide advice on the probable effect of the proposed USSFTA rules of origin modifications on U.S. trade and on domestic producers of the affected yarns and fabrics. Details on the products covered by the investigation can be obtained from the attachment to the request letter, which can be found on the ITC Internet site at http://www.usitc.gov/ind_econ_ana/research_ana/Ongoing_Inv/documents/103reqlwt.pdf.

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has launched an investigation into the effects of tariff and nontariff measures on U.S. agricultural exports to India.

The investigation, India: Effects of Tariff and Nontariff Measures on U.S. Agricultural Exports, was requested by the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance.

In its letter requesting the investigation, received on January 13, 2009, the Committee stated: "U.S. agriculture depends on reliable access to global markets. Strong economic growth in developing countries like India presents opportunities for U.S. agricultural exports…. While U.S. exporters can provide individual examples of trade measures that prevent their sales to India, the extent to which trade and investment measures account for the disproportionately low U.S. share of India's agricultural imports remains largely undocumented."

“The 10+2 rule can create quite a challenge for importers, and we wanted to make compliance as easy as possible for our customers,” said Larry Antonucci, president, OHL Global Freight Management and Logistics, Americas. “By providing three tiers of options, our importers are sure to find a service that meets their needs, minimizes the impact to their supply chain, and keeps them in compliance with CBP.”