Vancouver Late on February 16th, 2015, an agreement was reached between the Canadian Pacific (CP) Railway and union locomotive representatives to enter into binding government arbitration.  The short lived strike that began Sunday is now officially over. Movement of rail cargo is expected to resume as of this morning. CP announced the federal government would […]

On Wednesday, February 11, 2015, the Canadian Pacific (CP) Railway announced that the union representing more than 3,000 of its locomotive engineers and conductors presented a strike notice for this upcoming weekend.  CP, Canada’s second largest railway, responded by advising that its managers will be ready to take over if workers walk off the job. […]

The Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) announced the shutdown of vessel operations starting today, Thursday, February 12 (Lincoln’s Birthday), in addition to Saturday, Sunday, and Monday (Washington’s Birthday) to avoid paying longshoremen holiday or weekend pay for slow productivity that is crippling West Coast ports. While gate, rail, and yard operations will remain open per terminal operators’ […]

While vessels idle offshore waiting to deliver commerce to U.S. West Coast ports, all eyes are on the contract battle between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA).  On Wednesday, February 4, 2015, James McKenna, PMA’s President and CEO, released details of a comprehensive offer in an attempt to […]

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture has published a notice in today’s Federal Register announcing the next phase of Harmonized Tariff Schedule numbers that will require a Lacey Act declaration at the time of importation starting on August 6, 2015. This is the first new phase in […]

Please be advised that due to worsening snow and ice conditions in the New York area, our New York office will be closing early at 4:00pm today, February 2, 2015.  Phone lines will be forwarded to our Baltimore office for urgent assistance. Many New York and New Jersey marine terminals are ceasing inbound gate processing […]

Shapiro’s Atlanta and Charleston offices are closed today due to inclement weather.  All employees have remote access and will be available via email. To reach someone via phone: Charleston office: Call Kay McGaha, Branch Manager, on her mobile at 843-817-8340, or Billie Mullineaux, Import Manager, on her mobile at 843-696-1588. Atlanta office: Call Kathleen Robie, Branch […]

Despite a glimmer of hope this week in the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) negotiations on the West Coast, the beleaguered West Coast import trade community is facing yet another serious crisis.  There is a growing shortage of empty containers in China to carry the unexpected high volume of […]

The NY & NJ Port Authority has released a winter weather advisory announcing that all New York and New Jersey marine terminals will close today, Monday, January 26, by 3:00 PM and remain closed Tuesday, January 27, in anticipation of winter storm Juno.  The port will make an announcement about port operations for Wednesday, January […]

The shipping industry made a collective sigh of relief as word came on January 5th that Federal Mediators were being brought in to help the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) to reach a labor settlement.  Unfortunately, even with mediator assistance, no reported progress had been made.  In fact, […]

On January 5, 2015, the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) joined the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) in their request to bring in federal mediation to resolve contract negotiations.  This announcement comes after eight months of the ILWU working without a contract, stalled talks between the two groups, high tensions, and rising congestion along the […]

All Shapiro offices will be closed on December 25-26, 2014, in celebration of the holiday season.  Customs and Border Protection (CBP) offices will be closed on both days as well, following President Obama’s Executive Order designating Friday, 12/26, as a Federal holiday. All Shapiro operations will resume Monday, December 29, 2014. We wish everyone a […]

Stemming from a 2012 global treaty agreement to reduce sulfuric emissions along the U.S. and Canadian coastlines, carriers will begin the implementation of a Low Sulfur Surcharge (LSS) starting January 1, 2015.  The new regulation requires shipping lines to burn low-sulfur diesel fuel within the designated Emission Control Areas (ECA) and to modify vessel fuel systems […]

The G6 alliance announced late last week the removal of its eastbound Los Angeles port of call from their Pacific Atlantic 1 service (PA1) from rotation citing severe US West Coast port congestion.  The G6 alliance of carriers includes:  Hapag-Lloyd (who announced their merger with CSAV), NYK, APL, OOCL, MOL and Hyundai Merchant Marine.  Hapag-Lloyd’s […]

The port congestion surcharge (PCS) that has been threatening West Coast trade since mid-November has once again been suspended until further notice.  Major carriers such as Maersk, Hapag Lloyd, Evergreen, NYK, OOCL, and CMA-CGM sent out notification today, November 26, 2014, announcing the postponement.  The congestion charge, originally implemented on November 14, has been on […]

Multiple carriers have begun announcing the implementation of port congestion fees.  Many carriers filed this surcharge in their tariffs as protection against increased operating costs associated with extreme congestion at terminals.  With the ILWU contract still not settled and mounting congestion and delays not only in Los Angeles/Long Beach but also in the Pacific Northwest, […]

Shapiro offices will be closed Thursday and Friday, November 27-28, 2014, in celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday.  All operations will resume Monday, December 1, 2014. We wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.

Despite multiple attempts from the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) to convince the International Longshore Warehouse Union (ILWU) to resume “big table” negotiations, the ILWU has postponed talks until no sooner than December 2, 2014.  During this time, the union will be participating in subcommittee negotiations dealing mostly with local issues.  Neither the PMA nor the […]

As we previously published on November 14, 2014, multiple carriers had announced the implementation of port congestion fees as protection against increased operating costs associated with extreme congestion at terminals.  On November 17, 2014, the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) issued a statement noting that carriers cannot properly assess any congestion or other surcharges on cargo […]

After a brief power outage that began yesterday, Monday, November 10, 2014, Shapiro’s Atlanta branch has resumed full operations. We thank you for your cooperation during yesterday’s interruption.