NCBFAA has submitted comments to the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) responding to the agency’s Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) regarding the regulation of demurrage and detention billing requirements for ocean common carriers and marine terminal operators (MTOs).

The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), which was signed into law Dec. 23, 2021, established a rebuttable presumption that the importation of any goods, wares, articles, and merchandise mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China, or produced by an entity on a list required by clause (i), (ii), (iv) or (v) of section 2(d)(2)(B) of the Act, is prohibited by Section 307 of the 1930 Tariff Act entry of these items into the U.S. This rebuttable presumption goes into effect June 21.

Now is not the time to slow down on contacting your local Congressional offices to ask them to support the Customs Business Fairness Act (CBFA) (H.R. 4816).

Here is a summary of the latest customs and cross-border trade regulatory updates brought to you by our NCBFAA Customs Counsel firm Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg:

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) released its latest Monthly Update Briefing on Blockchain. Learn the latest CBP activities involving Blockchain and future information technologies here.

The NCBFAA Transportation Committee’s Logistics Subcommittee is regularly collecting data on the nation’s rail delays and port congestion that are impacting the supply chain and your business operations. The Logistics Subcommittee has compiled the latest attached data in form of an Excel spreadsheet for your reference. The subcommittee invites members to forward service disruption announcements from the carriers and ports as soon as received to Merit Tremper by email (merit@merittradeservices.com) for inclusion in this Weekly Supply Chain Disruption Roundup series. Meanwhile, NCBFAA members are well aware of the chaos encountered every day in America’s supply chain. Container ports remain congested at levels never experienced. Truck drivers and equipment are in short supply, and railroad networks are tied in knots. The result is increased costs for both imported and exported goods, and that is if they can depart or enter commerce in time. As freight forwarders, NVOCCs, and customs brokers, you are surely getting an earful right now from angry and desperate shippers, and it is not your fault. However, NCBFAA urges you to let your shippers know that you remain in solidarity with them and are doing your utmost using your skills and tools to get them through this the best that you can. NCBFAA, meanwhile, urges you to show your clients that you are aware of the supply chain situation by sending them this Port Congestion Background Paper. You may also download this paper on your letterhead and adjust the text accordingly.

NCBFAA knows that you as our members are doing their best to keep up with their day-to-day businesses under dire supply chain circumstances, and now add on top of all that the recent flurry of U.S. sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. What do these sanctions mean to your business (our industry)? Well, it can be an awful lot, depending on whether you work with customers that had export or import business with Russia prior to invasion.

As you heard last week, NCBFAA is launching a brand-new website experience for members on May 9. In the weeks leading up to the grand reveal, we will be sharing updates with all of you, including sneak peeks of some new website features, like the improved Broker/Forwarder Directory.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said its Draft Global Business Identifier (GBI) Evaluative Proof of Concept (EPoC) CATAIR Chapters (GE and GO) for future capabilities is now available. The chapters are in the section “Draft Chapters: Future Capabilities.” Here is the link.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on April 23 will deploy the new ACE Forms tool. This enhancement will modernize the CBP Forms 28, 29, 4647, and Docs Required response and management functionality for trade users.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on Friday, Oct. 10, announced modifications to its Section 301 tariffs on foreign ships calling U.S. ports, effective Oct. 14, as well as the addition of tariffs for container-handling equipment imports.

President Trump in a Truth Social post on Friday, Oct. 10, said that his administration will impose 100% tariffs on China products, “over and above any Tariff that they are currently paying,” by Nov. 1 or sooner, citing an “extraordinary aggressive position” taken by China against the U.S. with new tariffs and increased export controls on rare earth metals.

The NCBFAA Customs Committee and Counsel of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., are closing monitoring the imposition of Section 232 tariffs on timber, lumber, and derivative products imported into the U.S., starting for entries made on or after Oct. 14, and proposed Section 232 tariffs for heavy-duty truck imports by Nov. 1. The Committee will provide related Customs and Border Protection (CBP) guidance to our customs broker members as soon as it’s received.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has stepped up outreach to the trade to increase awareness of DEA import and export requirements. DEA officials recently visited several local customs broker associations to spread the word about importer and exporter requirements under the Controlled Substances Act with particular emphasis on chemicals that can be used to manufacture fentanyl.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) during an Oct. 1 call with the trade that no refunds of any type, including drawback, ACH, etc., are part of the excepted functions currently allowed by the agency during the government shutdown since they’re tied to appropriations.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on Friday, Oct. 10, announced modifications to its Section 301 tariffs on foreign ships calling U.S. ports, effective Oct. 14, as well as the addition of tariffs for container-handling equipment imports.

President Trump in a Truth Social post on Friday, Oct. 10, said that his administration will impose 100% tariffs on China products, “over and above any Tariff that they are currently paying,” by Nov. 1 or sooner, citing an “extraordinary aggressive position” taken by China against the U.S. with new tariffs and increased export controls on rare earth metals.

The NCBFAA Customs Committee and Counsel of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., are closing monitoring the imposition of Section 232 tariffs on timber, lumber, and derivative products imported into the U.S., starting for entries made on or after Oct. 14, and proposed Section 232 tariffs for heavy-duty truck imports by Nov. 1. The Committee will provide related Customs and Border Protection (CBP) guidance to our customs broker members as soon as it’s received.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has stepped up outreach to the trade to increase awareness of DEA import and export requirements. DEA officials recently visited several local customs broker associations to spread the word about importer and exporter requirements under the Controlled Substances Act with particular emphasis on chemicals that can be used to manufacture fentanyl.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) during an Oct. 1 call with the trade that no refunds of any type, including drawback, ACH, etc., are part of the excepted functions currently allowed by the agency during the government shutdown since they’re tied to appropriations.

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on Friday, Oct. 10, announced modifications to its Section 301 tariffs on foreign ships calling U.S. ports, effective Oct. 14, as well as the addition of tariffs for container-handling equipment imports.

President Trump in a Truth Social post on Friday, Oct. 10, said that his administration will impose 100% tariffs on China products, “over and above any Tariff that they are currently paying,” by Nov. 1 or sooner, citing an “extraordinary aggressive position” taken by China against the U.S. with new tariffs and increased export controls on rare earth metals.

The NCBFAA Customs Committee and Counsel of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., are closing monitoring the imposition of Section 232 tariffs on timber, lumber, and derivative products imported into the U.S., starting for entries made on or after Oct. 14, and proposed Section 232 tariffs for heavy-duty truck imports by Nov. 1. The Committee will provide related Customs and Border Protection (CBP) guidance to our customs broker members as soon as it’s received.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has stepped up outreach to the trade to increase awareness of DEA import and export requirements. DEA officials recently visited several local customs broker associations to spread the word about importer and exporter requirements under the Controlled Substances Act with particular emphasis on chemicals that can be used to manufacture fentanyl.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) during an Oct. 1 call with the trade that no refunds of any type, including drawback, ACH, etc., are part of the excepted functions currently allowed by the agency during the government shutdown since they’re tied to appropriations.