Full Enforcement for Wood Packaging Material Import Regulations to Begin July 5

Washington, June 29, 2006 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will begin enforcing the third and final phase of the wood packaging material (WPM) regulation on July 5. All WPM, such as pallets, crates, boxes and pieces of wood used to support or brace cargo, must meet import requirements and be free of timber pests before entering or transiting through the United States. Read more...

T R A N S P O R T A T I O N

Govt submits canal expansion proposal to national assembly

Panama's President Martín Torrijos and the cabinet council have approved the proposal to expand the Panama Canal, according to a Panama Canal Authority (ACP) release. Read more...

Vancouver lines hike charges

Extracted from “The Journal of Commerce” 6 June 2006

Shippers using [the] Port of Vancouver are facing new increases in freight rates and fuel surcharges.

Following plans by Vancouver terminals to raise demurrage fees and cut free storage time, major steamship lines of the Canada Transpacific Stabilization Agreement advised this week that their Bunker Surcharge/Fuel Recovery Surcharge fee for import containers will be raised on July 1 to US$510 per TEU from $475 on June 1 and $410 in April.

The charge will rise to $680 per FEU from $545 in April.

The CTSA also will raise freight rates by $200 for local Vancouver - area cargo and $400 for all other destinations, effective July 1. That follows identical increases that took effect in April. The lines plan another, unspecified increase on Oct. 1

PierPASS Changes Export Container Handling Procedures

From August 7, Exporters Must Claim Booking Numbers Before Delivering Containers to Terminals at Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

LONG BEACH, Calif.—PierPASS, a non-profit group that was created by marine terminal operators in Long Beach and Los Angeles to reduce congestion around both of these ports, announced new procedures for handling export containers under the OffPeak program at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach last week. Read more...

Ports of Busan, Vancouver struggle to cope with flow

Once the economic powerhouse of South Korea, this downtrodden port city is now on the verge of recovery.

On two coasts, one eastward, the other westward, the port of Busan and the port of Vancouver are secondary players with one common purpose: trying to keep up with the flow of goods coming out of China. Read more...

S E C U R I T Y

U.S. megaports, container security programs to be implemented in Egypt

Egypt is joining international efforts to prevent smuggling of nuclear and other radioactive materials by sea, U.S. official announced. Read more...

LA, Long Beach to install floating security barriers

THE Los Angeles Board of Harbour Commissioners has approved funding for a US$2.9 million agreement with Siemens Building Technologies for waterborne security barriers. Read more...

Container Security Initiative
Coming to Jamaica

Innovative CBP Program Screens Cargo for Dangerous Materials Before Arriving in U.S.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States signed a Declaration of Principles (DOPs) today with the Government of Jamaica to help thwart smuggling of nuclear and other radioactive material. Read more...

S E M I N A R S