The Federal Maritime Commission extended the comment period by 30 days for a proposed rulemaking to add new licensing and financial requirements to Ocean Transportation Intermediaries (OTIs), the agency said in a notice. The proposed rules would create some additional licensing requirements for OTIs, somewhat similar to what is required of customs brokers, and increase the bonding requirements. (see 13053031). The extension came in response to a request from the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA), said the FMC. While the NCBFAA requested a 60-day extension, the FMC decided to give a 30-day extension, it said. Comments on the proposal are now due Aug. 30.

In response to several incidents related to the problem, the Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration put out a safety alert for shippers and carriers on the risks associated with under-odorization of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). Odorization of LPG is required in certain circumstances, such as non-industrial end use, to allow for leak detection. The alert describes the problem of odors fading over time, and outlines recommended odorization procedures and standards.

The Federal Maritime Commission scheduled a July 17 meeting at 10 a.m. in Washington, D.C. Agenda items include: (1) Briefing on Committee on Maritime Transportation System, (2) Staff Briefing and Discussion of Inflation Adjustment of Civil Penalties, (3) Staff Briefing on Service Contracts that Reference Freight Indices. A closed session includes: (1) Staff Briefing on Economic and Trade Conditions and (2) Staff Briefing on Semi-Annual Meeting with Transpacific Stabilization Agreement Representatives.

FMC Notice of Agreement Filed (here)

The American Trucking Associations said it will host the first ATA Executive Summit on ways to maximize the payback for fleets that make investments in technological advances and data analysis. The summit will be Dec. 4-6 at the Four Seasons Resort Dallas at Las Colinas.

Global air cargo growth continued to flatline in May, broadly following the trend of the last 18 months, according to International Air Transport Association figures. Global freight ton kilometers increased just 0.8% in May compared to a year ago, but capacity grew 2.1%, causing load factors to fall to 44.9% -- the lowest level since the Great Recession. The stall in cargo appears to be due to a softening in growth in developing economies, including China, IATA said. "The Middle East remains a bright spot, and the rate of decline in the Eurozone is easing," said IATA Director General Tony Tyler. "But this is offset by the weakening of expansion in Asia-Pacific."

New federal regulations designed to reduce truck driver fatigue took full effect July 1, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said. The rules were announced in December 2011, giving trucking companies 18 months to adopt the new hours-of-service rules for truck drivers, it said. The rules limit the average work week for truck drivers to 70 hours, down from 82, and FMCSA said more than 85 percent of the truck driving workforce will see no changes as a result of the rules. Drivers who reach the 70-hour limit can resume if they rest for 34 consecutive hours, including at least two nights, under the new rules. The rule retains the current 11-hour daily driving limit and 14-hour work day.

The International Maritime Organization’s Maritime Safety Committee agreed to restructure IMO’s subcommittees, as part of a review and reform process initiated by Secretary-General Koji Sekimizu. The proposals now go to the IMO Council meeting July 15-19, and to the IMO Assembly meeting beginning Nov. 24 for final approval. New subcommittees would include: Subcommittee on Human Element, Training and Watchkeeping; Subcommittee on Implementation of IMO Instruments (III); Subcommittee on Navigation, Communications and Search and Rescue; Subcommittee on Pollution Prevention and Response; Subcommittee on Ship Design and Construction; Subcommittee on Ship Systems and Equipment; Subcommittee on Carriage of Cargoes and Containers.

Teamsters and UPS agreed to extend the current UPS National Master Agreement for an indeterminate period, the union said. The extension doesn't have a specific end date, but can be terminated by either side with a 30-day notice, it said. The agreement means all of the current agreements remain in place until the supplements that did not receive a majority of votes have been re-voted and agreed to, it said, and none of the increases in wages, pensions and health and welfare contributions that were agreed to in the new National Master Agreement won't take effect until then.

There was $98.9 billion in trade with NAFTA partners in April of 2013, up 7.4 percent from April 2012, said the Bureau of Transportation Statistics in a press release. Trucks transported 60.6 percent of that trade, while rail made up 15.1 percent and vessels accounted for 9.2 percent, said BTS. Imports from NAFTA countries, worth $52.9 billion, increased 4.9 percent from April 2012 and 2.7 percent from March, said BTS.