The Federal Maritime Commission released a notice of the filing of the following agreements under the Shipping Act of 1984. Interested parties may submit comments on the agreement to the Secretary, Federal Maritime Commission, Washington, DC 20573, within 10 days.

Sunoco Logistics Partners and Lone Star NGL said they have signed long-term fee agreements with Shell Trading US Company to move forward with a liquefied petroleum gas export/import project. Sunoco Logistics is an affiliate of Energy Transfer Partners, while Lone Star is a joint venture between ETP and Regency Energy Partners. The Mariner South project will integrate Sunoco Logistics’ existing Nederland Marine Terminal and pipeline from Mont Belvieu, Texas to Nederland, Texas, with Lone Star’s Mont Belvieu fractionation and storage facilities, the companies said in a press release.

The Agricultural Marketing Service released the Ocean Shipping Container Availability Report (OSCAR) for the week of May 1-7. 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 Federal Maritime Commission’s proposal to extend exemptions for foreign-based nonvessel-operating common carriers that agree to negotiated rate agreements will boost economic efficiency and increase competition, the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA) said April 29. The NVOCC rate tariffs are a “throwback, a burdensome regulatory requirement that has no redeeming public benefit,” NCBFAA said in comments submitted on the proposed rule. The proposal was issued in February (see 13022514).

There was $88.4 billion in trade with NAFTA partners in February of 2013, down one percent from February 2012, said the Bureau of Transportation Statistics in a press release. Trucks transported 59.1 percent of that trade, while rail made up 15.3 percent and vessels accounted for 9.7 percent, said BTS. For trade between the U.S. and Canada, trucks carried 54.4 percent of the $48.9 billion in trade, followed by rail at 17 percent, pipelines at 13.3 percent, vessels at 5.3 percent and air at 4.4 percent. Trade with Mexico was worth $39.6 billion, 64.8 percent of which was carried by trucks. Vessels carried 15.2 percent and rail made of 13.2 percent of that trade, said BTS.

The Federal Maritime Commission released a notice of the filing of the following agreements under the Shipping Act of 1984. Interested parties may submit comments on the agreement to the Secretary, Federal Maritime Commission, Washington, DC 20573, within 10 days.

Charlotte, N.C. Mayor Anthony Foxx was named Transportation Secretary Nominee by President Obama April 29, a move that has already garnered support from some industry groups. Foxx will replace outgoing Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, a former Illinois congressman who has held the position since Obama took office. In his nomination announcement, Obama highlighted Foxx’s transportation initiatives in Charlotte: a new streetcar project, expansion of the international airport and extension of the city’s light rail system. “All of that has not only helped create new jobs, it’s helped Charlotte become more attractive to business,” Obama said (here).

Congress should restore the user-generated revenue stream for Highway Trust Fund, a long-term solution to the Fund’s revenue challenge that would also “boost the economy while reducing the deficit,” a group of 30 transportation, construction and freight associations said April 24. In a letter sent to House Budget Committee leaders, the groups said that the HTF will exhaust its cash balance sometime in 2015. Funding for the HTF was not a part of last year’s transportation bill, MAP-21.

The Agricultural Marketing Service released the Ocean Shipping Container Availability Report (OSCAR) for the week of April 24-30. 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 Federal Maritime Commission said the following have filed applications for a license as a Non-Vessel-Operating Common Carrier (NVO) and/or Ocean Freight Forwarder (OFF)-Ocean Transportation Intermediary (OTI) pursuant to section 19 of the Shipping Act of 1984. The FMC also gave notice of the filing of applications to amend an existing OTI license or the qualifying individual for a license. Interested persons may contact the Office of Transportation Intermediaries, Federal Maritime Commission, Washington, D.C. 20573, at 202-523-5843 or at OTI@fmc.gov.