The State Department’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls said it launched a redesign of certain portions of its website July 31, including “key Registration and Licensing pages.” The redesign also “features a number of significant enhancements including improved navigation, searchability, and accessibility,” DDTC said.

The Bureau of Industry and Security is extending the public comment deadlines for two information collections involving export activities. One involves the government’s Competitive Enhancement Needs Assessment Survey Program, under which the BIS Office of Technology Evaluation surveys businesses to determine which “government competitive enhancement, procurement opportunity and business diversification programs would benefit their competitive position in the marketplace.” The other involves Form BIS-4023P, which companies must submit to participate in the NATO International Competitive Bidding process under the NATO Security Investment Program. Comments were previously requested in March, but the agency is allowing for another 30 days.

One of the Russians included in a Washington-Moscow prisoner swap this week was indicted in 2022 as part of a scheme to illegally export dual-use goods to Russia. Vadim Konoshchenok, who was charged alongside other Russians for their role in a global procurement and money laundering network for the Russian government (see 2212130075), is part of the group of prisoners the Biden administration is sending to Moscow in exchange for jailed American journalist Evan Gershkovich, ex-U.S. Marine Paul Whelan and others, according to multiple news reports. Konoshchenok was arrested in Estonia in 2023 and extradited to the U.S.

The Bureau of Industry and Security is extending the public comment period for an information collection relating to offset agreements worth more than $5 million for sales of weapons systems or defense articles to foreign countries or companies (see 2402150023). BIS said it defines offsets as “compensation practices required as a condition of purchase in either government-to-government or commercial sales of defense articles.” The agency is allowing for another 30 days of comments.

The Bureau of Industry and Security is extending the public comment period for an information collection relating to statements required under certain exports by the ultimate consignee and purchaser (see 2403220011). The collection involves Form BIS-711, which provides information on the foreign importer receiving U.S. technology, describes how the technology will be used and “provides assurances” that the technology will not be used in violation of the Export Administration Regulations. BIS is allowing for an additional 30 days of comments.

The Federal Maritime Commission issued a “policy statement” this week to explain that it can use subpoena authority and other “administrative investigatory authorities” when probing agreements between and among ocean carriers and marine terminal operators that may be anticompetitive.

The State Department approved a possible $115 million military sale to Belgium, including 196 “Guided Bomb Unit (GBU)-53/B Small Diameter Bombs-Increment II (SDB-II) All-Up-Rounds,” the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said July 25. The principal contractor will be RTX Corp.

The State Department approved a possible $2.8 billion military sale to Saudi Arabia, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said July 23. The sale includes “follow-on logistics support and services” for defense-related hardware and parts. DSCA said various contractors will be “associated with the provision of equipment and services involved with this case, and there is no prime contractor.”

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network is seeking public comments on an information collection involving a December rule that placed safeguards around sensitive information submitted to the agency as part of FinCEN’s new beneficial ownership information reporting requirements (see 2312210017). The agency said the new rules will help U.S. law enforcement and national security agencies “prevent and combat money laundering, terrorist financing, tax fraud, and other illicit activity, as well as protect national security.” Comments are due Aug. 22.

Ocean carrier Hapag-Lloyd provided motor carrier S.P.F. Logistics of Long Beach, California, with inadequate opportunities to return empty containers, forcing SPF to store the containers at its own expense, according to a complaint filed July 16 with the Federal Maritime Commission.