A labor strike has shut down key ports on Canada’s West Coast, including Vancouver and Prince Rupert, impacting $800 million in daily trade flows. The International Longshore and Warehouse Union Ship & Dock Foreman Local 514 initiated the strike after failed negotiations, halting container movement through these major Canadian ports. About 20% of U.S. trade […]

We have exciting news to report for aluminum extrusion importers! Late yesterday, the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) announced its determination that the U.S. aluminum industry is not materially injured or threatened with material injury by reason of imports of aluminum extrusions from China, Colombia, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, […]

On September 18, 2024, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) announced several updates related to its ongoing four-year review of Section 301 tariffs on certain products from China used in domestic manufacturing.  Yesterday, the USTR released additional instructions on how to file an exclusion request on the applicable machinery products classified under the 312 HTSUS subheadings […]

Due to the current ILA strike, Shapiro will be providing daily morning updates with the latest developments until significant changes arise. We are also closely tracking carrier updates and shipment notices, which can be accessed below. UPDATE: FRIDAY, 10/4 The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) have tentatively agreed on […]

The contract for the International Longshoreman Association (ILA) expires on September 30, 2024. While we cannot predict the future, we want to ensure that you are prepared for the possibility of a work stoppage or strike. We outline below some outcomes to consider should this event transpire: Please also note that the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) […]

On September 13, 2024, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) revealed several updates regarding China 301 tariffs, following public input on its notice dated May 28, 2024. The actions include new and increased tariffs on 382 products across various sectors, including electric vehicle batteries, semiconductors, medical supplies, and critical minerals. These tariff changes are set to […]

Effective September 3rd, the CBP has announced enhanced Air Cargo Advanced Screening (ACAS) security filing requirements on air shipments from other countries arriving to, or transiting through, the U.S. The new guidelines have been published in an attempt to better identify the parties involved in the air cargo supply chain prior to cargo being loaded […]

After entering an official lockout yesterday, Canada rail operations are expected to resume after the Canadian Government ordered the CPKC and CN to enter binding arbitration. The action came 16 hours after Teamsters’ workers were locked out over the labor agreement impasse. CPKC has not released an official statement, but CN said it would resume […]

As we alluded to in our Flash yesterday, today the Canadian National (CN) and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) initiated a lockout of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC), impacting approximately 9,000 workers, including conductors and engineers. There has been no indication of when a resolution might be reached or how long the lockout could […]

This week, both Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd. (CPKC) and Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) released statements announcing negotiations are far from over. The railroad is declining all intermodal traffic from the U.S. destined for all points in Canada. The Canadian Board has already determined that the stoppages will be allowed to proceed so this […]

It is with a big smile that we share this announcement about the full opening of the Fort McHenry Federal Channel into the Port of Baltimore. As most of you know, Baltimore is back on the booking menu at origin, and we are so happy for the port and for our region! Please click here […]

The CBP must have seen our Shap Flash yesterday about not including information on the extension of current 301 exclusions because they announced them today! The exclusions previously set to expire on May 31st, 2024 have all been extended for 20 days through June 14th, to allow for a transition period due to changes. Please […]

There is an update to the Section 301 tariff increases. As expected, the USTR has published in the Federal Register requests for comments on the proposed modifications to the Section 301 Chinese tariffs and the exclusion process for certain products. The three categories under review are: Comments on the proposal may be submitted via the USTR’s […]

Baltimore – Trapped Shipping Vessel is Freed! The container ship that was trapped under the fallen Francis Scott Key Bridge was successfully freed yesterday. Salvage teams employed multiple explosive charges to disentangle the bridge debris from the trapped vessel. The alternative channel has been established and has since moved 365 commercial vessels to and from […]

Following an exhaustive evaluation, the Biden administration has decided to implement additional Section 301 tariffs. Ambassador Katherine Tai explained, “After a thorough review of the statutory report on Section 301 tariffs, and in light of my recommendations, President Biden has directed me to take further steps to counteract the People’s Republic of China’s unfair technology […]

We are excited to share that Baltimore officials have announced the opening of a new 35-foot-deep channel at the city’s port, starting today. This development is part of ongoing efforts to restore operations after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge last month. The channel will accommodate “commercially essential vessels,” including five of the […]

The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed when a cargo vessel lost power and rammed into a support pile early this morning. Multiple vehicles were caught in the crash and the missing number of people are estimated between 7 and 20. Several have been rescued but many remain missing. The FBI is actively investigating […]

The Office of the United States Trade Representative announced today that they are extending the Section 301 exclusions for goods from China that were set to expire on December 31st, 2023. The exclusions have been extended until May 31st, 2024.In addition, the Office has opened a docket for public comments on the existing exclusions on […]

Two key Mexico (MX) rail gateways have been shut down in Texas, causing cross-border freight to stack up. These bridges have been closed by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) due to illegal immigration concerns, citing evidence that freighters are being used to transport immigrants into the United States. The border crossings currently impacted are […]

All major steamship lines have announced re-routings to avoid Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. Thus, many US-bound vessels will not be able to transit the Suez Canal and will be routed via the Cape of Good Hope around the African continent. While most announcements include mentions of a 10-14-day delays, we’d like to highlight some […]