The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance have reached a tentative agreement. The key point is that both sides have a tentative agreement on a wage increase. The port strike is suspended. The longshoremen will be returning back to work. Note that the agreement extends the current contract until January 15, 2025, giving the two…
As we mentioned last fall, global ocean freight shipping was on the verge of facing shipping Armageddon. There was a huge shortage of equipment (empty containers), vessel delays, and sharply increasing shipping cost. In the past six months, this crisis has indeed come to pass and has in fact worsened. Many importers were hoping that…
Importers who bring in products containing composite wood need to be aware of new EPA rules that may impact their imports. The new rules are called TSCA Title VI and take effect on March 22, 2019. These rules govern formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products. What is TSCA Title VI and who is impacted?…
COVID-19 – Shelter in Place March 16, 2020 Six Bay Area counties (San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Contra Costa, Alameda, and Marin) together issued a ‘Shelter in Place’ order this afternoon. The ‘Shelter in Place’ order will remain effective at least until April 7, 2020. We understand that many customers are concerned about…
90 Day Postponement of Payment of Certain Duties, Taxes, and Fees CBP has announced the postponement of payment of duties, taxes, and fees for importers experiencing significant financial hardship due to COVID-19 for 90 days. This postponement applies to entries entered from March 2020 through April 2020. Note that CBP will not return duties…
Impact of Coronavirus on International Shipping We’ve received a number of questions about the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on international shipping. Here is what we know at this time: 1.) Air freight A number of airlines (United, American, Delta) have suspended all service to and from mainland China. Other airlines are also starting to…
Every shipping vessel that enters and leaves the United States is required to submit shipping records that document its cargo. This information filed to Customs is called “Automated Manifest System”. Thanks to the Freedom of Information Act, most of this information is a matter of public record. Sites such as www.piers.com, www.zepol.com and www.importgenius.com retrieve…
Are you a foreign company and want to import into United States? Unlike the EU, Canada and Australia, sales taxes are not assessed during importation to the US. This means you do NOT need to register a Federal Tax ID when importing. Instead, Cargocentric can help apply for a Foreign Importer ID. The process is so…
Lithium ion batteries are considered hazardous due to the flammable nature of the electrolytes. Many countries and carriers have strict regulations, particularly via Air Freight. If your goods contain lithium batteries, please have your supplier provide the following battery information: Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) Safety Transport Certificate Once the battery classification is determined, Cargocentric can help determine which…
Importers are responsible for submitting TEN data elements to Customs 24 hours PRIOR to vessel lading. This rule applies to ocean shipments only. The ten data elements are as follows: 1. Importer of Record Number 2. Consignee Number 3. Seller (Owner) – name and address 4. Buyer (Owner) – name and address 5. *Ship to…