maritime

Click here for “West Coast Ocean Cargo Congestion: Facts And Remedies,” Carlos Rodriguez’s original article.

The below surcharges were to have been implemented effective November 17, 2014 by ocean carriers for import/export traffic through the West Coast ports:

There was a loud outburst by shippers and shipper groups, and the Federal Maritime Commission, as did we, questioned the legality of applying the surcharges to cargo already in ocean carriers’ systems either at origin, in route, or at West coast destinations.

All importers and exporters which ship through West Coast ocean ports are by now truly concerned about their cargo being on the shelves in time for sale during the holiday season, and on the export side that their cargo might not reach their buyers any time soon. To add insult to injury, most, if not all ocean carriers have announced congestion surcharges to go into effect on the West Coast November 17, 2014.

Recently, the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) promulgated regulations which formally implement the Ukraine-related sanctions set forth in Executive Orders 13660 (“Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Ukraine”), 13661 (“Blocking Property of Additional Persons Contributing to the Situation in Ukraine”), and 13662 (“Blocking Property of Additional Persons Contributing to the Situation in Ukraine”). OFAC has made numerous designations of entities and individuals under the executive orders, which can be reviewed here.

The new regulations, entitled the Ukraine-Related Sanctions Regulations (URSR)  31 CFR Part 589, have been published in abbreviated form in an effort to provide immediate guidance to the public. OFAC has indicated that it intends to supplement the regulations in the near future with a more comprehensive set of regulations which may include additional guidance on interpretations and definitions, as well as additional general licenses and statements of licensing policy.

Husch Blackwell partner Carlos Rodriguez‘s article, “Ocean Transportation Intermediaries in the Cross-Fire,” appeared in the New York New Jersey Foreign Freight Forwarders and Brokers Association Inc. Newsletter, Fall/Winter 2013. Carlos concentrates his practice in international and domestic transportation law. He skillfully navigates his maritime clients through the complexities of regulation and…

Three of the world’s largest steamship companies serving Asia, Europe and the United States have submitted  an important vessel sharing agreement to the Federal Maritime Commission for approval. The net effect of this filing, if gone unchallenged, would be to provide these three carriers with anti-trust immunity for implementing certain practices normally in violation of anti-trust statutes. The Federal Maritime Commission said it would accept public comment on the “P3 Network Vessel Sharing Agreement” of Maersk, Mediterranean Shipping and CMA CGM until midnight Friday, Nov. 29. Current law provides that if the commission takes no action to seek an injunction or require additional information, the agreement will become effective 45 days after the original filing date of Oct. 24, i.e., on Dec. 8.