A listing of recent antidumping and countervailing duty messages from the International Trade Administration posted to CBP's website Feb. 7, along with the case number(s) and CBP message number, is provided below. The messages are available by searching for the listed CBP message number at addcvd.cbp.gov. (CBP occasionally adds backdated messages without otherwise indicating which message was added. ITT will include a message date in parentheses in such cases.)
The State Department has taken the first steps toward the Congressional notification required to reclassify military articles on the U.S. Munitions List as dual-use items on Commerce Control List, according to a House Foreign Affairs Committee aide. “Consistent with the requirements of section 38(f) of the Arms Export Control Act, the Foreign Affairs Committee has begun preconsultations with the Administration on the proposed removals of certain aircraft and related items from the United States Munitions List, as well as accompanying regulatory changes to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations and the Commerce Control List,” the aide said.
Marken promoted Dan Bell to the newly-created position of vice president, regulatory compliance and technical affairs. Bell is a licensed customs broker and certified customs specialist.
Descartes Systems Group is extending its cloud-based Air Messaging services across all Descartes OneView customers, it said. “Through this service, forwarders and brokers can enhance air cargo management capabilities by seamlessly connecting and exchanging shipment data and documents with air carriers,” the company said in a press release. OneView customers will be able to exchange air waybills, house bills, and status messages electronically with more than 90 global air carriers, Descartes said.
Baltimore-based customs broker and international freight forwarder Samuel Shapiro & Company launched a Humanitarian Services Program recently to assist international relief organizations with logistical needs. Delivery of donated goods in places with weak infrastructure often results in logistical issues, and in such cases Shapiro will use its “industry connections to secure low-cost services with partnering agents, steamship lines, and truckers,” it said. Its first project involved shipment of donated insulation panels to Word of Life Fellowship’s dining hall in Honduras.
Farrow Group announced its acquisition of Kitchener, Canada-based customs broker W.Pickett & Bros. Feb. 4. The operations and staff of Pickett will be rolled into the infrastructure of Russell A. Farrow Limited. Farrow Group is the largest privately owned customs broker in Canada, and has offices in the northern U.S. and Los Angeles.
The Agricultural Marketing Service released the Ocean Shipping Container Availability Report (OSCAR) for the week of Feb. 6-12. The weekly report contains data on container availability for westbound transpacific traffic at 18 intermodal locations in the U.S.1 from the eight member carriers of the Westbound Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (WTSA).2 Although the report is compiled by AMS, it covers container availability for all merchandise, not just agricultural products.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission will vote Feb. 13 on whether to issue its draft final rule on requirements for third-party conformity assessment bodies that test children’s products in support of Children’s Product Certificates. The rule would establish requirements for acceptance of the accreditation of a third-party conformity assessment bodies, and address adverse actions against such bodies. It would also amend audit and inspection requirements related to the third-party testers. The one-hour meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. ET in Bethesda, Md., and can be viewed via live webcast here.
The International Trade Administration published notices in the Feb. 7 Federal Register on the following AD/CV proceedings (any notices that announce changes to AD/CV duty rates, scope, affected firms, or effective dates will be detailed in another ITT article):
The International Trade Administration issued the preliminary results of the countervailing duty administrative review of oil country tubular goods from China (C-570-944) for Wuxi and Jiangsu Chengde. These CV rates are not in effect. The ITA may modify them in the final results of this review and change the estimated CV cash deposit rates for these company.