Vehicles move in and out of the Port of Baltimore. On October 1st, a major strike is set to begin at the busiest ports on the East Coast and Gulf Coast of the United States. This would mark the first East Coast dockworker strike since 1977, affecting approximately half of the nation’s seaports.

Harry Katz, a professor at Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations, believes, “Dockworkers faced severe inflation during the pandemic, and the terms of the collective bargaining agreement did not fully compensate for it. They feel it’s time to be rewarded. Many dockworkers continued to work during the pandemic, unlike many who could work remotely. They feel they deserve a reward.” The International Longshoremen’s Association, representing over 45,000 dockworkers at more than 30 ports from Maine to Texas, is demanding a 77% wage increase in a new six-year contract. This translates to a $6 hourly raise each year, increasing hourly wages from $39 to $69 to offset the impact of soaring inflation in recent years. To protect their members’ jobs, they are also demanding a complete ban on automation of cranes, gates, and container movement for loading and unloading cargo. With no plans for negotiations before the midnight deadline on September 30th, a strike seems imminent.

Katz added, “I speculate the strike will last 4 to 6 weeks, but I don’t expect it to be longer. They will face immense pressure to resolve the issue.”

Shipping companies have stated that if a strike occurs for one day, it would take about 4 to 6 days for the supply chain to fully process the accumulated cargo. If the strike is prolonged for a week, or even until the end of China’s National Day holiday, it would have a significant impact, disrupting the logistics chain and causing port congestion. Economists warn that each day of the strike could result in up to $5 billion in economic losses. However, with the U.S. presidential election just over a month away, President Biden has stated he will not intervene.

When asked, “Mr. President, if the dockworkers go on strike on Tuesday, will you intervene?” U.S. President Biden responded, “No, because this is collective bargaining between labor and management. I do not believe in the Taft-Hartley Act.” The Taft-Hartley Act Biden referred to allows the president to impose an 80-day cooling-off period during labor disputes that threaten national security, essentially forcing workers back to their jobs while negotiations continue.

News from:  公視新聞網

According to the latest report from China’s YiHangYun, less than 48 hours after the Yang Ming’s “Dong Ming” exploded at Ningbo Port, the industry leader Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) had another container ship, the MSC CapeTown III, catch fire and explode at JCT Terminal in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in the early morning of August 11.

NEWS FIRST reported that the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) stated that swift and coordinated actions successfully averted a potential disaster after a fire broke out on the container ship MVMSC CAPETOWN III, which was berthed at the Jaya Container Terminal (JCT) in Colombo.

At the time, the ship was unloading 995 TEUs and loading 880 TEUs when a fire suddenly broke out in the hatch area near the ship’s accommodation, followed by an explosion.

The explosion occurred below the deck, and the 60 affected containers on deck had already been unloaded, including one containing hazardous cargo.

Following the fire, all shipboard operators and auxiliary crew were immediately evacuated. Firefighters, in cooperation with other port services, quickly took action to extinguish the fire and safely remove the affected cargo.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. The Sri Lanka Ports Authority said it is conducting a thorough investigation and will hold the ship’s agent accountable.

Ship data shows that the MSC CapeTown III (IMO: 9311737) was built in 2006, has a capacity of 2,824 TEUs, flies the flag of Portugal, and is owned, managed, and operated by MSC. The ship is currently deployed on the South Asia-East Africa route.

Vessel information provided by YiHangYun shows that the MSC CapeTown III departed Singapore on August 5 and arrived at Colombo Port at 21:37 on August 10.

According to the original schedule, the MSC CapeTown III was to proceed to Mombasa, Kenya, after completing loading and unloading operations at Colombo Port. However, due to the fire and explosion on board, the ship’s subsequent schedule may be delayed.

Senior figures in China’s shipping industry pointed out that the hot weather necessitates stricter management of the transportation of hazardous goods. On July 19, a Panama-flagged container ship caught fire in Indian waters. This series of accidents is expected to lead to stricter management of hazardous goods transportation by ports worldwide, and shipping companies will tighten their transportation conditions.

NEWS FROM: ETTODAY

Keelung Customs Bureau has announced that the export of used motor vehicles and engines must comply with the “Verification Procedures for Exporting Used Motor Vehicles and Engines” (hereinafter referred to as the “Verification Procedures”). Exporters must first apply for a non-stolen vehicle verification from the Third Mobile Unit of the National Police Agency (hereinafter referred to as the “Third Mobile Unit”) or its subordinate units. Based on the verification report and list issued by the Third Mobile Unit, exporters can then proceed with the export formalities at customs. In the “Verification Method” field of the export declaration, the code “8” should be entered to indicate “document verification”.

The Bureau explained that, according to Article 2 of the Verification Procedures, “used motor vehicles and engines” refer to vehicles that have already been licensed, used vehicles and engines, or scrap vehicles and engines that are still usable. This includes 99 items such as old automobiles under tariff headings 8703 and 8704, old motorcycles under tariff heading 8711, and old engines under tariff headings 8407 and 8408. In accordance with other relevant export regulations stipulated in the “List of Restricted Export Goods” announced by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, exporters must apply for a non-stolen vehicle verification from the Third Mobile Unit prior to export in accordance with the Verification Procedures. When filing a customs declaration, the verification report and list must be attached, and the word “USED” should be added to the description of goods in the export declaration. The code “8” should be entered in the “(Application) Verification Method” field. The system will automatically approve “document verification clearance (C2)” or “cargo inspection clearance (C3)”. After verification, the goods will be released.

The Bureau further reminded that, according to Article 6, paragraph 2 of the Verification Procedures, if the vehicle registration data shows that the vehicle is in normal use and will not be re-imported, or if there is a chattel mortgage or suspension of use, the exporter must additionally submit proof that the vehicle owner has returned the license plate to the highway motor vehicle administration agency, canceled the chattel mortgage, or reported the scrapped or canceled registration of the suspended vehicle to the highway motor vehicle administration agency before applying to the Third Mobile Unit for written verification.

Finally, the Keelung Customs Bureau urged that if the exported goods are used motor vehicles or engines, exporters and customs brokers should pay attention to the aforementioned procedures and regulations to avoid delays in customs clearance due to non-compliance and the need for re-verification, which could affect their own interests.

Contact: Mr. Chen, Section 2, Business Division, Telephone: (02) 2420-2951 ext. 5111

NEWS FROM: Keelung Customs Bureau

News from: https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/national-media-release/cbp-announces-implementation-recent-usda-rule-change-allowing