According to press reports at the end of 2024, the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX) are expected to resume formal bargaining negotiations on Jan. 7. The NCBFAA Transportation Committee continues to monitor this situation and will provide our members with the most up-to-date information in the weeks ahead.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Dec. 30 issued CSMS #63564703, which announced that, effective Jan. 1, the severity for AES Response messages 5C2 and 5C3 will be changed from Informational to Fatal.

The Census Bureau has updated its tables for Schedule B, Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS), and HTS Codes “That are Not Valid” for the Automated Export System (AES). The outdated codes expired Dec. 31, 2024, with the new codes taking effect Jan. 1.

It’s the beginning of a new year, and what better way to enhance your industry knowledge and facilitate your day-to-day business than by registering to attend the industry-leading 52nd NCBFAA Annual Conference at the Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass on April 6-9, 2025.

President Biden issued an Executive Order for the closure of executive departments and federal government agencies on Jan. 9 in observation of the recent passing of former President Jimmy Carter.

With the 484(f) Committee Changes to the HTS and Schedule B taking effect Jan. 1, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) immediately began working with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to update the affected HTS codes in ACE and with 1USG to adjust flagging for commodities covered under AM4.

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) issued a policy statement on Jan. 2 stating it is “an appropriate venue where private parties may bring class actions to resolve disputes covered by the statutes the agency administers.”

The NCBFAA Export Compliance Subcommittee, supported by the Transportation Committee’s legal counsel Venable LLP, has submitted detailed comments on behalf of the Association in response to the Census Bureau’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) regarding updates to the Foreign Trade Regulations (FTR).

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Dec. 31 provided guidance to the trade on the modifications made to the Section 301 China Tariff Four Year Review which increases tariff rates on five subheadings of the HTSUS for certain tungsten products, wafers, and polysilicon.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is proposing to revise regulations to provide for electronic entry filing of data from the Certification of Admissibility (COA) form, which standardize and consolidate existing permit, reporting, recordkeeping, and entry filing requirements and allow nations to use their own aggregate catch documentation.

NCBFAA Customs Committee and Counsel of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., on June 1 offered input to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regarding the agency’s application of the IEEPA reciprocal tariff in-transit provision, particularly in cases where cargo initially is loaded onto feeder vessels then offloaded and reloaded in an intermediate country onto a mother ship for direct shipment to the U.S. In addition, NCBFAA will continue to monitor CBP guidance as it relates to the White House's June 4 increase in the aluminum and steel tariffs to 50%.

NCBFAA has opened registration for the 2025 Government Affairs Conference (GAC) to be held at the Grand Hyatt Washington in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 7-9. (The Grand Hyatt Washington is a new location for the GAC.) We urge attendees to register now to take advantage of the special room block and early bird savings!

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said, starting June 14, that it will increase the number of Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) numbers allowed per entry summary line in ACE. This enhancement will enable filers to include up to 32 HTSUS numbers on one entry summary line. The current limit is 8 HTSUS numbers per entry summary line.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has extended the start date for submitting data from importers and domestic manufacturers on perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs) to April 13, 2026.

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) said it will soon announce that paper Lacey declarations and the “mail in” option for paper forms will end this year.

NCBFAA Customs Committee and Counsel of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., on June 1 offered input to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regarding the agency’s application of the IEEPA reciprocal tariff in-transit provision, particularly in cases where cargo initially is loaded onto feeder vessels then offloaded and reloaded in an intermediate country onto a mother ship for direct shipment to the U.S. In addition, NCBFAA will continue to monitor CBP guidance as it relates to the White House's June 4 increase in the aluminum and steel tariffs to 50%.

NCBFAA has opened registration for the 2025 Government Affairs Conference (GAC) to be held at the Grand Hyatt Washington in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 7-9. (The Grand Hyatt Washington is a new location for the GAC.) We urge attendees to register now to take advantage of the special room block and early bird savings!

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said, starting June 14, that it will increase the number of Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) numbers allowed per entry summary line in ACE. This enhancement will enable filers to include up to 32 HTSUS numbers on one entry summary line. The current limit is 8 HTSUS numbers per entry summary line.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has extended the start date for submitting data from importers and domestic manufacturers on perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs) to April 13, 2026.

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) said it will soon announce that paper Lacey declarations and the “mail in” option for paper forms will end this year.

NCBFAA Customs Committee and Counsel of Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., on June 1 offered input to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regarding the agency’s application of the IEEPA reciprocal tariff in-transit provision, particularly in cases where cargo initially is loaded onto feeder vessels then offloaded and reloaded in an intermediate country onto a mother ship for direct shipment to the U.S. In addition, NCBFAA will continue to monitor CBP guidance as it relates to the White House's June 4 increase in the aluminum and steel tariffs to 50%.

NCBFAA has opened registration for the 2025 Government Affairs Conference (GAC) to be held at the Grand Hyatt Washington in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 7-9. (The Grand Hyatt Washington is a new location for the GAC.) We urge attendees to register now to take advantage of the special room block and early bird savings!

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said, starting June 14, that it will increase the number of Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) numbers allowed per entry summary line in ACE. This enhancement will enable filers to include up to 32 HTSUS numbers on one entry summary line. The current limit is 8 HTSUS numbers per entry summary line.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has extended the start date for submitting data from importers and domestic manufacturers on perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs) to April 13, 2026.

The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) said it will soon announce that paper Lacey declarations and the “mail in” option for paper forms will end this year.