The South Carolina State Ports Authority (SCSPA) Board approved its budget for the coming fiscal year, including more than $77 million in terminal upgrades and projections for a 7% increase in container volume. Starting July 1, the SCSPA plans to invest $77 million in terminal improvements, equipment upgrades and new information systems. The largest area of spending is at existing facilities, totaling $35 million. More than $16 million is slated for construction of the new 286-acre container terminal at the former Navy Base.
The Port of Long Beach reports that in another sign of improving air quality, air pollution at the port fell for the third year in a row in 2009, with declines of up to 50% for key pollutants threatening public health, according to a recently released report. Some of the pollution cuts can be attributed to a recession-related drop in cargo volume, but the Port's air pollution decline far outpaced the decline in trade.
In the June 9, 2010 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (Vol. 44, No. 24), CBP published notices to revoke two rulings and withdraw one proposed revocation regarding the products described below.
CBP has posted the minutes from the June 3, 2010 COAC Bond Subcommittee meeting. According to the minutes, the Bond Subcommittee is reviewing and commenting on a draft of CBP’s bond directive rewrite/update and was expected to continue to review the draft at its next Subcommittee meeting.
An overview of a number of recent antidumping and countervailing duty messages posted to CBP's Web site, along with the case number(s), period covered, and CBP message number, is provided below. (Note that the complete message is only available at http://addcvd.cbp.gov.)
CBP has issued the following news releases:
CBP has posted an updated version of its CF 1400 (Record of Vessel in Foreign Trade Entrances) - an electronic query report for CF 1400 of the Vessel Management System (VMS), in accordance with 19 CFR 4.95, organized by entrances. CBP has also posted an updated CF 1401 (Record of Vessel in Foreign Trade Clearances) - an electronic query report for CF 1401 of the VMS, in accordance with 19 CFR 4.95, organized by clearances.
CBP has issued its weekly tariff rate quota and tariff preference level commodity report as of June 14, 2010. This report includes TRQs on various products such as beef, sugar, dairy products, peanuts, cotton, cocoa products, and tobacco; and certain BFTA, DR-CAFTA, Israel FTA, JFTA, MFTA, OFTA, SFTA, UAFTA (AFTA) and UCFTA (Chile FTA) non-textile TRQs; etc. Each report also includes the AGOA, ATPDEA, BFTA, DR-CAFTA, CBTPA, Haitian HOPE, MFTA, NAFTA, OFTA, SFTA, and UCFTA TPLs and TRQs for qualifying textile articles and/or other articles; the TRQs on worsted wool fabrics; etc.
CBP has posted an updated version of its TRQ/TPL "threshold to fill" list, a quick reference to monitor TRQs and TPLs that are approaching their restraint limit or have filled their in-quota (low) rate. The list is divided into two sections: those that are at least 85% filled and those that are filled.
CBP has posted an updated version of its frequently asked questions regarding the Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) trusted traveler program.