The State Department announced that the Shipping Coordinating Committee will conduct an open meeting at 10 a.m. ET, Dec. 18 to prepare for the 56th session of the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Sub-Committee on Fire Protection (FP 56) to be held at the IMO Headquarters, United Kingdom, Jan. 7-11, 2013. The coordinating committee will meet at the offices of the Radio Technical Commission for Maritime Services, 1611 N. Kent Street, Suite 605, Arlington, Va. 22209. Matters to be considered include (1) Development of measures to prevents explosions on oil and chemical tankers transporting low flash point cargoes; (2) Development of requirements for the fire resistance of ventilation ducts; (3) Review of fire protection requirements for on-deck cargoes; (4) Development of requirements for ships carrying hydrogen and compressed natural gas vehicles.
Dugie Standeford
Dugie Standeford, European Correspondent, Communications Daily and Privacy Daily, is a former lawyer. She joined Warren Communications News in 2000 to report on internet policy and regulation. In 2003 she moved to the U.K. and since then has covered European telecommunications issues. She previously covered the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration and intellectual property law matters. She has a degree in psychology from Duke University and a law degree from the University of Tulsa College of Law.
The U.S. Coast Guard's Chemical Transportation Advisory committee will meet Dec. 11-13 to discuss marine transportation of hazardous materials in bulk, it said in a Federal Register notice for publication Nov. 26. The committee wants public comment on the issues to be considered. Comments are due by Nov. 29 and can be submitted to http://www.regulations.gov, or mailed to Docket Management Facility (M-30), U.S. Department of Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590-001. For further information contact Commander Michael Roldan or Lieutenant Sean Peterson, 202-372-1403.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Unified Carrier Registration Plan Board of Directors will meet Dec. 6. to continue work on developing and implementing the unified carriers registration plan and agreement. Public participation is by conference call: 1-877-820-7831, passcode 908048.
The Oakland Board of Port Commissioners appointed Danny Wan as new Port of Oakland Attorney, effective Dec. 17. Wan is currently City Attorney and Risk Manager for the City of Morgan Hill, and previously served as the port's deputy attorney.
China began levying temporary anti-dumping duties Nov. 23 on resorcinol from the U.S. and Japan, requiring companies to pay deposits for such imports, the Ministry of Commerce said. Resorcinol is an essential component in the manufacture of tires and other fiber-reinforced rubber goods. The move followed initial findings of an investigation, launched in March, which showed evidence of dumping, it said. American and Japanese importers will now have to pay deposits with Chinese customs ranging from 30.1 -- 40.5 percent according to the level of dumping, it said.
A global customs operation spanning three continents led to over 70 seizures of protected wildlife and their derivatives, trade in which is barred or regulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, the World Customs Organization said. Operation HOPE targeted air and maritime consignments, and passengers from Oct. 22-31 to identify illicit shipments of endangered wildlife and other species, with the support of the CITES Secretariat, INTERPOL, The Lusaka Agreement Task Force and others, it said.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced receipt of a petition for a decision that nonconforming 2009 Porsche 911 (997) passenger cars that were not originally manufactured to comply with all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards are eligible for import in the U.S. because: (1) they are substantially similar to vehicles that were originally manufactured for sale in the U.S. and that were certified by their manufacturer as complying with the safety standards, and (2) they are capable of being readily altered to conform to the standards. Comments are due Dec. 26.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has decided that certain vehicles that do not comply with all applicable federal motor vehicle safety standards, but are certified by their original manufacturer as complying with all applicable Canadian motor vehicle safety standards, are eligible for import into the U.S., it said in a Federal Register notice scheduled for Nov. 26. The vehicles are either substantially similar to vehicles that were certified by their manufacturers as complying with the U.S. safety standards and capable of being readily altered to conform to those standards, or have safety features that comply with, or are capable of being altered to comply with, all U.S. safety standards, it said.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative wants input on the operation, effectiveness and implementation of, and compliance with, the following agreements regarding telecommunications products and services of the U.S.: The World Trade Organization General Agreement on Trade in Services; North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA); U.S. free trade agreements with Australia, Bahrain, Chile, Colombia, Korea, Morocco, Oman, Panama, Peru and Singapore; Dominican Republic-Central America-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA); and any other telecom trade agreements, such as mutual recognition agreements for conformity assessment of telecommunications equipment.
The State Department, World Health Organization, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recently issued the following travel warnings, travel alerts, country specific information sheets, and disease outbreak-related information. State Department Travel Warnings are issued when the State Department decides, based on all relevant information, to recommend that Americans avoid travel to certain countries.