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.

Dear Valued Customers, Our Atlanta branch is currently without power and intermittently receiving phone calls.  In the meantime, we are having their phone lines forwarded to our corporate office in Baltimore to triage the calls. For assistance, please reach out to our Baltimore office directly by calling 1-800-695-9465.  For Global Logistics help, please contact Belinda Henson […]

Congestion at the terminals of Seattle, Tacoma, Los Angeles, and Long Beach continues to worsen as both the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) appear to be no closer to resolving their ongoing labor dispute.  The PMA issued a new statement yesterday alleging that the ILWU is withholding skilled labor, […]

Both the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) issued conflicting statements yesterday regarding an alleged slow down by dock workers in the ports of Seattle and Tacoma.   The PMA alluded that the union was engaging in slowdown tactics at the terminals in order to put pressure on the ongoing negotiations […]

The Food Safety Modernization Act requires food facilities to renew their registration between October 1st and December 31st in even-numbered years. Domestic and foreign food facilities that manufacture, process, pack or hold food must renew their registration by December 31, 2014. Registrations that are not renewed by December 31st will be invalidated and subsequent entries […]

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are experiencing higher than normal congestion.  According to a Journal of Commerce interview with executive director of the Marine Exchange of Southern California, Capt. J. Kipling Louttit, cargo container ships are dropping anchor and waiting in line to be received at terminals.  “There’s usually zero wait times […]

The chassis and labor shortages in the Los Angeles/Long Beach Ports are causing truckers, and consequently shippers, considerable setbacks at the moment. Trucking companies in the area are facing an uphill battle on two fronts; not only there is a significant labor shortage on working the vessels at the docks, but there is also a major shortage of chassis required to handle the daily cargo volume.

The Food Safety Modernization Act requires food facilities to renew their registration between October 1st and December 31st in even-numbered years. Domestic and foreign food facilities that manufacture, process, pack or hold food must renew their registration by December 31, 2014. Registrations that are not renewed by December 31st will be invalidated and subsequent entries […]

Following a toxic fire of the Pasha terminal at Berth 177 in the Port of Los Angeles, which spurred air quality concerns from creosote covered wood, officials announced remaining terminals have resumed operations 6 p.m. Tuesday evening.  Nearby Yusen Terminals International announced they would reopen 8 a.m. Wednesday morning. The fire originally broke out at 6:40 p.m. […]

The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a 6:40 p.m. Monday evening call at the 800 block of South Fries Avenue located in the Port of Los Angeles.   Air quality concerns from creosote covered wood caused the port closing as well an overnight shelter-in-place advisory.  Creosote is a gummy, foul smelling, corrosive and extremely combustible […]

The Census Bureau’s Foreign Trade Division (FTD) is announcing the publication of an Interim Final Rule revising the Foreign Trade Regulations (FTR), Title 15, Part 30. This rule reinstates the previous filing exemptions in Sections 30.37(q) and (r) of the FTR for temporary exports, including carnets, and goods that were imported under a Temporary Import […]