The Census Bureau posted the September 2012 edition of its Automated Export System (AES) Newsletter. Articles in this month’s edition include:

The Agricultural Marketing Service released the Ocean Shipping Container Availability Report (OSCAR) for the week of Sept. 19-25. The weekly report contains data on container availability for westbound transpacific traffic at 18 intermodal locations in the U.S.¹ from the nine 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 Census Bureau updated the location of its Automated Export System (AES) Compliance Seminar and AESPcLink Workshop in Wilmington, N.C., Sept. 19-20. The updated information says the event will take place at the Best Western Plus Coastline Inn.

­The State Department’s Defense Directorate of Trade Controls is requesting comments on its information collections on the export of defense articles for (1) requests to change the end-user, end-use, and/or destination of hardware; and (2) requests for advisory opinions. Both are extensions of existing information collections. DDTC estimates that the requests to change end-user, end-use, and/or destination will take 2700 respondents an average of one hour to complete, and that the requests for advisory opinions will take 250 respondents one hour to complete. Comments are due by Oct. 22.

Corpus Christi Liquefaction is the latest to file an application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to build and operate a liquified natural gas export/import facility, FERC said. It would be located near Corpus Christi, in San Patricio and Nueces Counties, Texas, at the site of the previously authorized, but never constructed, Corpus Christi LNG, LLC LNG import terminal, according to a Federal Register notice scheduled for Sept. 20.

Responses were mixed to the Bureau of Industry and Security’s request for comments on the feasibility of positively identifying parts and components on the Commerce Control List instead of using a catch-all definition like “specially designed.” While some comments were in favor of eliminating or replacing “specially designed” language, GE and Boeing expressed concern over the difficulties of creating such a list and the possibility of a list that would be even more difficult to use because of its length. “While enumeration may be feasible, Boeing believes it would constitute a significant effort, for which the benefits may be minimal,” it said.

The Census Bureau issued AES Broadcast #2012061 as part of a series of monthly educational broadcast messages on the Automated Export System. This month Census is highlighting AES error codes 561 (DDTC License Number Unknown) and 590 (Shipment Value Exceeds Available Value for License). The broadcast covers the reasons for the these error messages and how to resolve them, as follows:

Export-Import Bank of the U.S. commitments to loans of more than $100 million to support U.S. exports. Comments are due by Oct. 14 through www.regulations.gov.:

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission said Freeport LNG Development filed an application Aug. 31 for authorization to build and operate natural gas liquefaction and export facilities on Quintana Island, Texas. The facility would be adjacent to the existing Freeport LNG Development liquefied natural gas import terminal on Quintana Island. It would have three liquefaction trains, each capable of producing 4.4 million metric tons of LNG per year. Freeport also proposes to build facilities about 2.5 miles north of the Terminal to support the natural gas liquefaction and export operations, FERC said in a Federal Register notice. FERC is seeking comments by Oct. 3 on the proceeding, Docket CP12-509-000.

The Bureau of Industry and Security issued a final rule, effective Sept. 19, to amend the Export Administration Regulations by adding six persons from the United Arab Emirates and Iran to the Entity List and remove one person from the Entity List. This rule also removes 14 entries from the Entity List, adds 3 entries to the Entity List, and amends 36 entries to provide alternate addresses, alternate spelling of names, etc. on the basis of the BIS End-User Review Committee’s (ERC) annual review of the Entity List for 16 countries.¹