The Agricultural Marketing Service released the Ocean Shipping Container Availability Report (OSCAR) for the week of Oct. 17-23. 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.

Micei International of Macedonia will maintain its export privileges, but must implement an export compliance program and conduct audits of its compliance with the Export Administration Regulations, according a settlement agreement with the Bureau of Industry and Security. Micei’s export privileges had been denied in 2009 because of its dealings with a person listed on the Denied Persons List. The denial order took effect in May 2009, but was stayed in July 2009 because of a district court challenge of the order brought by Micei. As part of the agreement, both BIS and Micei will jointly submit a motion to the court to dismiss the case with prejudice.

The U.S. and Israel signed an agreement to ease burdens on U.S. companies, especially smaller manufacturers, seeking to export telecommunications products to Israel, while maintaining the U.S.'s high technical standards and facilitating cross-border trade, the U.S. Trade Representative's office said. The agreement means Israeli regulatory authorities will now accept tests that recognized U.S. laboratories perform to determine the conformity of telecommunications equipment with Israeli technical requirements, rather than requiring additional testing by Israeli labs before American products can be sold in Israel, USTR said. It also allows the U.S. and Israel to agree in the future to accept equipment certifications from recognized conformity assessment bodies in the U.S. and Israel on a mutual basis. The full text of the Agreement is (here). The Agreement covers equipment subject to telecommunications regulation, including wire and wireless equipment, and terrestrial and satellite equipment. The agreement takes effect after both the U.S. and Israel complete all internal legal requirements.

The Department of Energy said it received an application Aug. 31 from Southern LNG Company for a long-term, multi-contract authorization to export up to 4 million tons per year of liquefied natural gas (LNG) over a 20-year period. The LNG would be exported from the LNG terminal in Chatham County, Ga., near the city of Savannah (Elba Island Terminal).

The Association of Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC) will host an Automated Export System Compliance Seminar and an AESPcLink Workshop in New York, N.Y. Nov. 14-15, the Census Bureau said. At the seminar on Nov. 14, Census experts will cover the filing requirements of the Foreign Trade Regulations, Schedule B classification requirements, and provide an overview of AES. On Nov. 15, two AESPcLink Workshops will be conducted. More information is available here, and registration is available here. Email documents@brokerpower.com for a copy of this message.

The Agricultural Marketing Service released the Ocean Shipping Container Availability Report (OSCAR) for the week of Oct. 10-16. 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 Export-Import Bank of the U.S. is seeking comments on a proposed long-term loan or financial guarantee in excess of $100 million for the purpose of selling Boeing 777 aircraft for use in Russia, it said in a Federal Register notice scheduled for Oct. 12. Comments are due by Nov. 8 via WWW.REGULATIONS.GOV.

The Census Bureau scheduled the eighth and final webinar in its series on “The Fundamentals of Exporting” for Oct. 17 at 1 p.m. The webinar, “What is a Foreign Trade Zone and How Can it Help You?” will cover Foreign Trade Zones and exporting instructions when merchandise is removed from a zone to a foreign country. Registration is available here.

The Bureau of Industry Security will hold a partially open meeting of the Sensors and Instrumentation Technical Advisory Committee (SITAC) Oct. 30 in Washington, D.C. In the public session, SITAC will hear remarks from BIS management, hear industry presentations, and discuss new business. The open session will be accessible via teleconference to 20 participants on a first come, first served basis. To join the conference, submit inquiries to Yvette Springer at Yvette.Springer@bis.doc.gov no later than Oct. 23.

The Census Bureau and Small Business Administration scheduled “Go Global” seminars on exporting for small and medium-sized businesses in Glen Ellyn, Ill., Oct. 16 and Clifton, Md., Nov. 1. Census said the seminars are designed to help businesses overcome the information barriers to exporting and remove the perception that exporting is reserved only for large enterprises. Topics include discovering new and existing markets; correctly classifying products; complying with the Foreign Trade Regulations; filing export transactions using the Automated Export System (AES); benefits of freight forwarders; and obtaining financing through national export programs.