The International Trade Commission recently released Revision 7 to the 2023 Harmonized Tariff Schedule, which added subheadings 9903.81.82, 9903.81.83 and 9903.81.84. The subheading extends exclusions for a variety of derivative Ukrainian iron and steel products, if accompanied by certificates of origin, from 25% Section 232 tariffs under subheadings 9903.80.01 and 9903.80.03 entered after June 1.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:
The suspension of Section 232 duties on steel articles from Ukraine has been extended for another year and now includes steel from the EU melted and poured in Ukraine, CBP said as part of its guidance on June 5. The suspension is now set to expire on June 1, 2024. Importers must report the certificate of origin for Ukrainian steel or steel articles into the CBP’s Document Imaging System (DIS), the announcement said. If steel or steel deratives are not accompanied by certificates of origin from Ukraine, those items will be subject to the "25 percent ad valorem duty," the guidance said. Importers also must submit the steel mill certificate required by 19 CFR 141.89, the guidance said. The suspension of Section 232 duties is available in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE), the guidance said. The extension of the suspension was announced on May 31. The suspension was first announced on May 27, 2022, (see 2205310061).
Vessel-operating common carriers must file all service contracts and amendments to the Federal Maritime Commission's SERVCON system "no later than" 30 days "after the effective date," the FMC reminded industry June 2. A failure to file contracts could result in "fines or other penalties," the FMC said. Filers must make sure that they have the right effective date in SERVCON and that amendments to contracts have a "prospective effect," the FMC said. Contracts also cannot reference terms that are not "explicitly contained in the service contract, unless those terms are readily available to the parties and the Commission," the FMC said. The FMC also provided a link to a webpage for information on how to file service contracts.
The International Trade Commission recently released Revision 6 to the 2023 Harmonized Tariff Schedule, which added subheading 9903.88.68. The subheading extends exclusions for a variety of medical products from 7.5% and 25% Section 301 tariffs under subheadings 9903.88.01, 9903.88.02, 9903.88.03, and 9903.88.15 if entered between June 1 and October 1, 2023, as announced by the U.S. Trade Representative in May (see 2305120054).
Food importer Bakerly failed to establish that carrier Seafrigo USA violated shipping regulations in its complaint to the Federal Maritime Commission last year, Seafrigo told the FMC this week, adding that the importer's reasons for avoiding paying detention and demurrage charges "cannot withstand scrutiny." New Jersey-based Seafrigo asked the FMC to "reject" Bakerly's complaint and "hold that Bakerly is responsible" for more than $2 million in demurrage and detention charges that Seafrigo "paid on its behalf."
The Federal Maritime Commission last week approved a settlement agreement between U.S. metal trader CCMA and major ocean carrier Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC). The confidential settlement stems from a December CCMA complaint alleging MSC assessed it $114,000 in unfair detention and demurrage fees (see 2212080020). MSC denied those allegations, saying CCMA lacked "meritorious factual basis" for its claims (see 2301090017).
The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) is seeking comments by July 24 on a new data collection for "empty container volumes at intermodal locations," it said in a Federal Register notice. The data collection effort, which would implement certain parts of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022, would allow the FMC to gather information on "vessel-level tonnage as well as full and empty containers entering and leaving U.S. ports." It would also allow the Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) to collect "operational data on intermodal equipment and dwell times."
Orient Overseas Container Line denied allegations that it violated U.S. shipping regulations, saying a complaint filed by Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY) in April (see 2305010049 and 2305020019) was "an unfortunate campaign to distort and obfuscate the relevant facts, contracts and law, in order to secure an unwarranted return." The container line said neither the statements in BBBY's complaint "nor the text of the contracts themselves" support claims that OOCL breached its contracts.
The International Trade Commission recently released Revision 5 to the 2023 Harmonized Tariff Schedule, which extended four COVID-related product exclusions covered by secondary subheading 9903.88.66 until June 1, 2023 (see 2305120054). Those products are currently exempted from additional duties imposed by Section 301 tariffs of 25% under subheading 9903.88.01.