Deringer Trade Alerts

• New Cargo Security
  September 10, 2024
  Effective immediately until January 31, 2025, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has introduced new security regulations for cargo destined to or transiting through the United States. Cargo from listed countries must come from shippers with an established business relationship with a Regulated Agent or Air Canada, or be from ...
• CIRB Orders Binding Arbitration
  August 26, 2024
  Federal Intervention Ends Lockout and Strike Notice. The Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) has mandated binding arbitration after an unprecedented dual work stoppage that halted freight shipments and disrupted commutes nationwide. This decision follows a prolonged contract dispute with the Teamsters union, which represents workers from both Canadian National Railway (CN) ...
• Consumer Safety Product Commission Proposes New Safety Requirement
  August 21, 2024
  Applies to Toys with Button Cell or Coin Cell Batteries The Consumer Safety Product Commission (CSPC) hopes to prevent child access to batteries in toys containing button or coin cell batteries. According to the notice in the Federal Register, the “proposed requirements would provide the highest level of safety feasible, and are ...
• Canada Railroads 72-Hour Strike Notice Effective Aug 22nd
  August 19, 2024
  CN and CPKC have issued a 72-hour strike notice and are prepared to shut down operations on Thursday 8/22. It is reported that no progress towards an agreement has been made despite weekend labor negotiations. According to the Railway Association of Canada, rail lines carry more than $1 billion worth of ...
• India and Australia Port Strikes
  August 16, 2024
  Ports in India and Australia brace for disruptions due to impending port strikes. After long-running pay negotiations failed to reach an agreement, dockworkers across 12 of India’s largest ports have declared an indefinite strike beginning on August 28th . The previous pay contract expired in December 2021. Over the last three ...
• CN and CPKC Embargoes and Strike Plans
  August 16, 2024
  Following the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) decision on August 9, ruling that railway services are not legally essential, CN is expediting the strike process, set to begin as early as August 22 at 00:01 ET. To protect operations and stakeholders, CN is implementing an embargo on specific intermodal shipments ...
• Canada’s Labor Minister Tries to Prevent Major Rail Strike
  August 6, 2024
  Canada’s Labor Minister, Steve MacKinnon, has initiated talks to prevent a potential rail strike that could significantly disrupt the supply chain. The discussions involve Canadian National Railway Co., Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd., and the union representing their workers. These negotiations, which had been stalled for months, are set to ...
• Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to Raise Traffic Mitigation Fee by 6% in September 2024
  August 2, 2024
  The Traffic Mitigation Fee (TMF) at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach will rise by 6% starting September 1, 2024, due to increased longshore wage and assessment rates. The new TMF rates will be $37.71 per TEU and $75.42 for larger containers. Exemptions include empty containers, cargo using the ...
• CPKC’s CEO Foresees Late August Rail Strike Amid Stalled Negotiations
  August 2, 2024
  Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) CEO Keith Creel announced that a Canadian rail strike is likely in late August due to stalled labor negotiations with the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC). The Canadian Industrial Relations Board will decide by August 9 which commodities must continue moving during a strike. TCRC members, ...
• APHIS Core Requirement Update
  July 30, 2024
  CBP Agriculture is increasing enforcement of APHIS Core requirements for products from Canada containing fully cooked egg. Even if a product does not require an import permit, it may require other documentation in lieu of an import permit for admission into the United States. APHIS requires cooked eggs and products ...
• 2025 Customs User Fees Adjusted
  July 29, 2024
  Please be advised that the Customs User Fees for Fiscal Year 2025 have been adjusted, effective October 1st. These adjustments are in accordance with the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) as implemented by CBP regulations. The merchandise processing fee ad valorem rate remains at 0.3464 percent. The new ...
• Port of Vancouver Rail Operations Update
  July 26, 2024
  Wildfires in western Canada have impacted rail operations servicing the Port of Vancouver. Despite these challenges, the port remains open and operational. Rail service on CN’s mainline through Jasper, Alberta, has been suspended due to the wildfires. This line is crucial for transporting cargo to and from the port. The situation ...
• Threat of Strike at Atlantic and Gulf Coast Ports
  July 17, 2024
  Harold J. Daggett, President of the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA), says the threat of a strike at all Atlantic and Gulf Coast Ports is becoming more likely as the current contract with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) is set to expire on September 30, 2024. The ILA canceled Master Contract ...
• New High Priority Sectors for Enforcement of Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA)
  July 10, 2024
  The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as the chair of the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force (FLETF), recently released an updated strategy to prevent the importation of goods produced with forced labor in China. This strategy builds on two years of UFLPA enforcement and aims to remove forced labor from ...
• Wood Packaging Material Violations
  June 14, 2024
  CBP Agriculture is experiencing a rise in violations related to Wood Packaging Material (WPM), particularly for untreated or unmarked WPM. As a result, they are increasingly imposing penalties and liquidated damages for non-compliance with WPM regulations. The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service sets standards for Wood Packaging Material (WPM) ...
• UFLPA & Seafood
  June 14, 2024
  Importers of seafood products processed in China or adjacent regions should be aware that CBP is increasing scrutiny on the use of forced labor in seafood processing facilities. On June 11, 2024, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the inclusion of a seafood processor to the Uyghur Forced Labor ...
• Tentative deal reached for Canada’s border workers, averting possible job action
  June 12, 2024
  The Canadian government has reached a tentative agreement with the union representing border workers, preventing a potential job action. The deal aims to address concerns related to working conditions, compensation, and other issues faced by border personnel. While specific details have not been fully disclosed yet, this development is a ...
• The Lacey Act Amendment: Phase VII
  June 11, 2024
  APHIS announced an amendment to the Lacey Act, Phase VII, set for implementation on December 1st. In this phase, declarations will be required for all remaining plant product HTS codes that are not 100-percent composite materials. This phase includes the broadest range of goods yet, requiring importers to reevaluate their ...
• CBSA Strike on Pause as Mediation Continues
  June 10, 2024
  More than 9,000 workers from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) have paused their strike as negotiations with the government continue with the help of a mediator until June 12th, 2024 to secure a fair contract. Mark Weber, Customs and Immigration Union National President, is hopeful that a both parties can ...
• CBSA: Possible June Strike
  May 30, 2024
  On May 24th, the union representing Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) employees announced a possible June strike, with over 9,000 members voting to secure a strike mandate. If the strike occurs, interrupted travel, delayed shipments, and restricted border operations are anticipated. The Treasury Board of Canada stated that “…90 per cent ...
• Port Operations in Bangladesh and India
  May 28, 2024
  Operations at Chittagong Port were suspended for 54 hours until noon today due to Cyclone Remal, while the West Bengali ports were closed for over 12 hours. Additionally, Colombo Port, a vital hub for shipments in the region, faced delays due to adverse weather conditions. Despite the withdrawal of the danger ...
• Additions To Chinese Tariffs
  May 16, 2024
  In an effort to strengthen domestic manufacturing in key industries, President Joe Biden is implementing higher tariffs on a variety of Chinese imports, such as semiconductors, batteries, solar cells, and critical minerals. The US will also increase duties on port cranes and medical products, in addition to the previously announced hikes ...
• New Development in Canadian Strike
  May 13, 2024
  The ongoing situation of a potential strike, by approximately 10,000 workers on May 22nd, from Canada’s two major railways has seen a new development. The federal government has asked the Canada Industrial Relations Board to review whether the strike would pose a risk to Canadians’ health and safety, adding a ...
• USDA APHIS Phase VII Draft List
  May 10, 2024
  The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, also known as APHIS, recently shared a draft list of products which will be included in the anticipated Phase VII of the implementation of the Lacey Act. While this is a draft, it is the intention of APHIS to include all remaining ...
• Canada Railway Workers Vote to Strike
  May 2, 2024
  Announced on May 1st, 98% of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference (TCRC) workers, employed at Canadian National Railway (CN) and Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), have voted to strike as early as May 22, according to the union.   The railways, critical to Canada’s economy, have contracts covering locomotive engineers, conductors, and ...
• New Restrictions on Russian Imports and Exports
  April 23, 2024
  On April 12th, The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), announced the implementation of an embargo on the importation and entry into the U.S. of aluminum, copper, and nickel of Russian origin. The only exceptions to the restrictions are those permitted by law or authorized by OFAC. The U.S. ...
• Enforce and Protect Act (EAPA) Case Statistics
  March 29, 2024
  An interactive tool is available on the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) website, which allows users to easily filter and view data from the Enforce and Protect Act (EAPA) investigations.   According to CBP’s statement, the Enforce and Protect Act (EAPA) authorizes U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to examine “whether ...
• Port of Baltimore Incident: Investigation, Cargo and Traffic Diversions Underway
  March 26, 2024
  Today, March 26th, 2024, a bridge in the US city of Baltimore has snapped and collapsed after a ship collided with one of its support columns, resulting in a disruption to the east coast supply chain and triggering a government investigation. As a precautionary measure, the vessel involved in the incident, ...
• U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Seeking Input
  March 12, 2024
  On March 7th, 2024, The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) published a notice in the Federal Register seeking input for the development of trade and investment policy on how to create strategies that will help supply chains be more flexible and able to recover quickly from disruptions. The notice ...
• AMS – Strengthening Organics Enforcement Program Goes Into Effect March 19th
  March 12, 2024
  New mandatory data reporting requirements for imports of organic products into the United States go into effect on March 19, 2024. Under the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service’s (AMS) Strengthening Organics Enforcement (SOE) Program, foreign exporters of most organic products must obtain an NOP Import Certificate from their local organic certifier. NOP ...