Fitch affirmed its 'BBB+' rating for $43 million in North Carolina State Ports Authority's revenue bonds, and said the ratings outlook is stable. It cited the port's favorable location, growing service area, and access to other economic growth corridors, but also concerns about the authority's reliance on bulk volume and the risk of concentration on rubber- and phosphate-based cargo. Fitch said volume has shown resilience in recent months, and the diversity of trading partners and import/export exposure is adequate. The port's capital program is “modest” at $133 million, and largely funded with grants, Fitch said.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a new version of its calendar year 2012 Tariff Rate Quota instructions for ethyl alcohol from the Caribbean and Insular Possessions due to the expiration of HTS 9901.00.50, which is assigned to this TRQ.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection said the maintenance activity scheduled in the ACE extended maintenance window starting Sunday March 25 has been completed and ACE is now available. On March 23, CBP had advised the trade that the regular ACE Maintenance Window might be extended March 25. (CSMS #12-000106)

A listing of recent antidumping and countervailing duty messages from the International Trade Administration posted to U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Web site as of March 23, along with the case number(s) and CBP message number, is provided below. These messages are available by searching on the listed CBP message number at http://addcvd.cbp.gov.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has announced that it is expanding its Global Entry trusted traveler program to the following four additional airports: (1) St. Paul International Airport, Minneapolis, Minnesota (MSP); (2) Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Charlotte, North Carolina (CLT); (3) Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Phoenix Arizona (PHX); and (4) Denver International Airport, Denver, Colorado (DEN). CBP established Global Entry at 20 major U.S. airports. Global Entry will become operational at the four additional airport locations on or before September 22, 2012. The exact starting date for each airport will be announced on the Global Entry website here.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued the following releases on commercial trade and related issues:

In the March 21, 2012 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (Vol. 46, No. 13), CBP published notice that it is withdrawing its proposal to revoke two rulings concerning the tariff classification of Sunx Fiber Sensors and photoelectric sensors due to the receipt of two adverse comments.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted a presentation that gives an overview of the Importer Self-Assessment Program. The overview describes the program and its vision; the requirements for participation and benefits; the application process; the need for a risk-based approach, internal controls and best practices. The presentation also gives the percent of ISA members by industry, and the value percentage of ISA shipments

In the March 21, 2012 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (Vol. 46, No. 13), CBP published a notice that proposes to modify a ruling regarding whether a jewelry set with tumbled diamonds from Zambia is subject to the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS).

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted an updated version of its spreadsheet of ACE ESAR A2.2 (Initial Entry Types) programming issues.