The White House launched a pilot for a new supply chain information sharing system to allow for better exchange of freight data between U.S. ports, ocean carriers, terminals, logistics companies and other businesses. The Freight Logistics Optimization Works, announced March 15, will help provide companies and other supply chain actors with important information about the movement of cargo by helping to ensure more consistent early return dates for containers, more accurate chassis availability and estimates of “aggregate dwell time throughout the supply chain,” the White House said. The system, led by the Department of Transportation, will feature an initial set of 18 industry participants, including FedEx, UPS, Target, the ports at Long Beach, Los Angeles and Georgia, as well as terminal operators, trucking companies and chassis providers.
The Federal Maritime Commission this week extended the public comment deadline for its pre-rule on new demurrage and detention billing requirements (see 2202070026 and 2202140002) by 30 days. Comments were originally due March 17, but industry will now have until April 16 to submit feedback. More than 30 trade groups had asked FMC earlier this month to extend the deadline (see 2203070006).
The Commerce Department is soliciting comments from companies, academics and other researchers, labor unions and civil society on how the U.S. should negotiate with countries to create an Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. They'd like to hear stakeholders' advice on general negotiating objectives; supply chain resilience; digital and emerging technologies' treatment; how the IPEF could address clean energy, decarbonization and infrastructure; and tax- and anti-corruption-related issues. Comments are due on or before April 11.
The Los Angeles and Long Beach ports again postponed by a week a new surcharge meant to incentivize the movement of dwelling containers (see 2110280031), the two ports announced March 11. The ports originally planned to begin imposing the fee Nov. 15, 2021, but have postponed it each week since. The latest extension delays the effective date until March 18.
The State Department is seeking public comments on an information collection related to Part 130 of the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, which deals with political contributions, fees and commissions relating to sales of defense articles and defense services, the agency said in a March 10 notice. Under the ITAR, defense exporters shipping certain goods worth more than $500,000 to a foreign armed service must notify the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls about certain political contributions or fees associated with the sale, the agency said. Comments are due May 9. The State Department last year saw an uptick in Part 130 violations (see 2109290056).
President Joe Biden this week nominated Paul Rosen, a white collar lawyer with Crowell & Moring, to lead the Treasury Department's work on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. as the agency's assistant secretary for investment security. Rosen was previously a federal prosecutor and an official at the Department of Homeland Security, where part of his job included advising the White House on CFIUS matters. He is currently a partner in Crowell's White Collar & Regulatory Enforcement, Privacy & Cybersecurity and Government Contracts groups and co-chair of the firm's National Security practice.
More than 30 trade groups asked the Federal Maritime Commission to extend the public comment deadline as it considers new demurrage and detention billing requirements (see 2202070026 and 2202140002). A March 3 letter to the FMC -- signed by the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America, the Agriculture Transportation Coalition, the Consumer Technology Association and others -- requests a 30-day extension to the March 17 deadline.
The Los Angeles and Long Beach ports again postponed by a week a new surcharge meant to incentivize the movement of dwelling containers (see 2110280031), the two ports announced March 4. The ports originally planned to begin imposing the fee Nov. 15 but have postponed it each week since. The latest extension delays the effective date until March 11.
The State Department is accepting applications for its Defense Export Controls and Compliance System 2022 User Group, which will provide feedback to the agency on DECCS functionality and suggest potential improvements. The agency’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls will appoint 50 industry volunteers to the user group, all of whom must be enrolled with DECCS and represent companies, government agencies or third-party organizations involved in defense trade. Member terms will last one year. Applicants should email PM_DDTCProjectTeam@state.gov by close of business March 10 with name and company or government affiliation. DDTC will make its selections by March 31.
The World Shipping Council pushed back against comments by President Joe Biden that the ocean carrier industry is unfair and uncompetitive, saying carriers “actively compete against one another in the global marketplace, including on the shipping lanes most relevant for U.S. trade.” In his first State of the Union address March 2, Biden said ocean carriers benefit from uncompetitive practices that drive up shipping prices.