Monday Morning eBriefing

For the past several weeks, NCBFAA has called on our Regular Members to send us their questions, experiences, and concerns with the recently implemented Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 (OSRA 2022) to help our Transportation Committee and Transportation Counsel develop a series of related Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

On behalf of NCBFAA's Board of Directors, Leadership and Staff, we want to take a moment to acknowledge and welcome the following member who has recently joined our association: 7 Seas Supply Chain Management Corp dba 7 Seas Logistics, Sunnyside, New York; Hector Grajales, President (email: hector@7seas-scm.com)

A thorough hiring process is essential to business longevity and success. On the flip side, poor hires can undermine the business brand, hinder staff morale, and put client relationships at risk. With so much at stake, what are some of the integral steps for effective hiring? Link to article here.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Aug. 27 will deploy Collections Release 6 – Refunds to ACE. This release will impact the Office of Finance and Office of Field Operations and will have some impact on the Trade community. For the trade, this release will:

Every customs broker knows that interacting with Partner Government Agencies (PGAs) can be the most challenging part of their job. The PGA data requirements are often demanding. And, on top of that, there are just so many agencies!

The NCBFAA Transportation Committee’s Logistics Subcommittee is regularly collecting data on the nation’s rail delays and port congestion that are impacting the supply chain and your business operations.

The Federal Maritime Commission on July 29 announced that it is reorganizing its investigative and prosecution functions by consolidating them into a newly created Bureau of Enforcement, Investigations, and Compliance (BEIC), effective immediately.

NCBFAA Wants You—our Regular Members—to become more active in your association by taking part in one of our myriad Committees and Subcommittees. Every Regular Member can make a markable difference in how our industry operates now and well into the future through their participation in NCBFAA! So, what are you waiting for?

NCBFAA has partnered with E&M Consulting, Inc. to produce our annual Membership Directory. The publication will be available in both print and digital formats. E&M will manage the project, including advertising sales and layout/graphic design. The company is highly professional and produces a high-quality publication, and we ask that you give E&M a moment of your time. E&M will contact all NCBFAA members about the advertising opportunities available in the Membership Directory. The publication will be mailed to every member – a great opportunity to promote and give your company additional exposure.

Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero on July 27 announced the Southern California port authority will take steps to end the weekend exemption for free time “to incentivize the use of weekend gates by our marine terminal operators and to incentivize our shippers to take advantage of these expanded weekend gate hours.”

NCBFAA is most fortunate to have a large membership base across the U.S. and we need each and every one of you to take a few minutes to use our new online letter-writing tool to contact your Representatives and Senators on Capitol Hill, asking them to support the Customs Business Fairness Act (CBFA) (HR 4816).

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have continued to postpone their “Container Dwell Fee,” and said they will reconsider its possible imposition on Aug. 26.

Some customs brokers are receiving penalty notices or warnings from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to importers for failing to file Notice of Arrival (NOA) data prior to arrival for pesticides and pesticide devices (such as air filters or UV light units).

Here is a summary of the latest legislative and regulatory transport, logistics and trade sector updates brought to you by our NCBFAA Transportation Counsel firm Venable

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on July 27 reissued its “Update: Interim Guidance—Immediate Delivery Procedures.” Immediate Delivery (ID) privileges are provided to the importer or customs broker on behalf of an importer in accordance with 19 CFR 141.68(c).

Join your industry colleagues at the 2022 NCBFAA Government Affairs Conference (GAC) in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 18-20 and make your voice heard loud and clear on regulations and legislation that impact the customs brokerage, freight forwarding and NVOCC industry in the U.S.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) on July 20 announced the U.S. has requested dispute settlement consultations with Mexico under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The consultations relate to certain measures by Mexico that “undermine” American companies and U.S.-produced energy in favor of Mexico’s state-owned electrical utility, the Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE), and state-owned oil and gas company, Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), USTR said. Specifically, Mexico’s actions include, but

The “Write My Representative” page, located in the “I Want To” section of the hamburger menu/main navigation of the new NCBFAA website, is now available for members to browse and take action on behalf of the customs broker and forwarder industries

oin your industry colleagues at the 2022 NCBFAA Government Affairs Conference (GAC) in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 18-20 and make your voice heard loud and clear on regulations and legislation that impact the customs brokerage, freight forwarding and NVOCC business in the U.S. Register today to secure your place at the conference table, as well as your hotel room at the Hyatt Regency Washington where the GAC is hosted!