Tuesday, 15 March 2016
Monday, 14 March 2016
Felixstowe Trade & Enterprise College. Cairo, Egypt
We are pleased to announce our new monthly lecture programme specifically designed to meet the needs of students embarking on a shipping and transport career in Egypt which will include in addition to classroom learning our on line learning with tutors from Cairo and Felixstowe
Students enrolling monthly for:
- International Shipping and Freight Forwarding (Primary (Level 2) and Advanced (Level 3) Level)
- Logistics and Custom Clearance in Egypt (Primary (Level 2) and Advanced (Level 3) Level)
- Warehousing Workshop and 5S Application
International Switchboard: +20 122 767 9806 - tutor Muhammed Ezzat
Friday, 11 March 2016
Sanctions Updates
Prime Minister Cameron challenges Barclays on Iran transactions
Prime Minister David Cameron has challenged Barclays for declining to process payments from Iran after they ceased to be prohibited in the EU following sanctions relief. He has written to Barclays stating that it was acting “in opposition to the policy of the UK government”. Barclays replied that there was “a considerable divergence in both approach and intention between the EU…and the US, where primary sanctions remain in place”, and that “as we offer banking services through our US operations we are required to continue to restrict business activity with Iran”.
In January, Chief Executive of the British Bankers’ Association Anthony Browne said that “International banks are likely to need considerably more clarity from US authorities… before engaging with Iran”, reflecting what is said to be the position of many UK banks – that they still face substantial compliance risks while most US sanctions on the country remain in force.
Asset freeze on Vice PM of Ukraine lifted
HM Treasury has published a notice confirming that an EU asset freeze against Raisa Bohatyriova, politician and former Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine, has been lifted, following the publication of Council Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/311. The Regulation and related Decision extended asset freezes by 1 year against 16 people listed for allegedly misappropriating Ukrainian state funds, and de-listed Ms Bohatyriova after she was said to have repaid the funds she was accused of misappropriating.US export restrictions on Chinese ZTE
The United States has imposed export restrictions on Chinese smartphone manufacturer ZTE, prohibiting US companies from selling to it without a specific licence, and foreign companies from selling products to it which contain a significant % of US-made components. The US Commerce Department issued a statement saying this was in response to ZTE breaching US sanctions by illicitly re-exporting controlled items to sanctioned countries, and organising a series of shell companies for this purpose in relation to Iran. 3 such shell companies have also been designated.
The Commerce Department has said that
applications for export licences to ship to ZTE will generally be
denied, though ZTE is not prohibited from continuing to sell its
products in the US.
Updates to OFAC's Kingpin, Zimbabwe & Sudan lists
OFAC has designated Tanzanian national
Ali Hassan and the Hassan Drug Trafficking Organization as Specially
Designated Narcotics Trafficking Kingpins. Mr Hassan is said to have
used his organisation to smuggle multi-ton shipments of heroin and
cocaine to Africa, Europe, Asia, and North America and bribed African
government officials in order to avoid arrest and prosecution. The US
Treasury’s press release is here.
In addition, OFAC has designated Chemplex
Corporation, linked to designated Industrial Development Corporation of
Zimbabwe, and Zimbabwe Fertiliser Company under its Zimbabwe sanctions,
and de-listed Atbara Cement Company from its Sudan sanctions.
Yates memo applies to sanctions cases
In September 2015, the Yates memo,
written by US Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, identified 6 key
steps to be taken, or already being taken, by the US Department of
Justice with the intention of enhancing its efforts to identify and
prosecute culpable individuals, at all levels, in corporate fraud and
misconduct cases.
Now, David Laufman, chief of
counterintelligence and export control at the National Security Division
of the DoJ, has stated that the Yates memo will also “govern
investigations and prosecutions of violations of US export control and
sanctions laws by corporations and corporate officers employed by those
corporations”. Where corporate parties are involved, a decision on
whether to prosecute will now take account of new factors, such as
whether possible violations were disclosed voluntarily and, if so, how
quickly. In particular, the focus of the Yates memo was on prosecuting
culpable individuals within corporations.
The DoJ is preparing guidance that sets
out the benefits available to companies that voluntarily disclose a
violation, with the maximum benefit available where there is also full
cooperation and meaningful communication, as well as the kind of
behaviour that would count against them. The benefits may include
non-prosecution or deferred prosecution agreements, reduced fines, and
shortened periods of supervised compliance.
EU Russia sanctions renewed for 6 months
As foreshadowed he EU has renewed its targeted sanctions on 146 Russian people and 37 entities, designated for “undermining the territorial integrity or stability of Ukraine”. COREPER (the Committee of Permanent Representatives in the EU) today agreed to renew the measures, due to expire on 15 March 2016, for 6 months until 15 September. A formal decision is expected to be made at the EU Council’s meeting tomorrow (10 March 2016). The EU’s targeted Russia sanctions which list these individuals and entities are hereTuesday, 8 March 2016
8th March 2016
Felixstowe Trade and Enterprise College, Cairo Egypt
We are pleased to announce the opening of our branch in
Cairo, Egypt. The first class will take place on Friday 11th March
2016 with the introduction to shipping course which is specifically designed
for people involved in trade in Egypt.
Full details will be available through our international
section on www.felixstowe-ac.co.uk
The college will be in a position to help expand trade
between the two countries.
Monday, 7 March 2016
Please note from the 14th March this blog will transfer to our website
Vessel Arrests
M.V. Coyhaique
Mexico's Navy and Drug Enforcement Agency seized half a ton of contain in one of the containers on board this vessel. The product was shipped from Colombia.
M.V. Jin Tenq - breach of sanctions
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said it was closely watching a North Korean vessel and its 21 crew members on Sunday, March 6, as officials waited for a response from the United Nations days after the ship was seized in compliance with new sanctionsMissing Passengers
M.V. Navigator of the Sea
Coast Guard search-and-rescue crews continued the search for a 46-year-old man who fell from the M.V. Navigator of the Sea off the coast of Key Largo, FloridaM.V Navigator of the Seas
EU Trade Sanctions
US and EU extend sanctions against Russia and Ukraine
The US and EU have extended several of their sanctions regimes against Russia and Ukraine, which they first imposed in 2014 in response to Russia’s involvement in the Ukraine crisis.
The US has extended its targeted
sanctions against senior Russian officials, businessmen, and state-owned
companies for 1 year until 6 March 2017, freezing their assets within
US jurisdiction and prohibiting US persons from doing business with
them. The sanctions also impose a travel ban on listed people. The
White House’s notice on the extension is here.
The EU has decided to extend its asset
freezes and travel bans against around 146 Russian officials and
pro-Russia separatists and around 37 entities, designated for
undermining the territorial integrity or stability of Ukraine. These
sanctions are likely to be extended for 6 months.
It has also decided to extend a separate
regime targeting public corruption in Ukraine, which imposes asset
freezes against 16 people said to have been involved in the
misappropriation of Ukrainian state funds (1 person will be de-listed
having repaid funds that were allegedly misappropriated). The EU is
likely to extend these sanctions for 1 year. All new EU measures are
due to be published in the Official Journal on Saturday 5 March.
It is reported that there was little
debate between EU foreign ministers over the extension of these
sanctions, but much greater disagreement is expected over the extension
of the EU’s sectoral sanctions which target the Russian economy.
Both the US and EU have stated that the
duration of their respective sanctions regimes on Russia is tied to
Russia’s complete implementation of the Minsk peace agreements, which inter alia
require that Russia help Ukraine to regain control over rebel-held
areas. The US has accused Russia of continuing to support the rebels
with money and weapons.
Friday, 4 March 2016
Please note from the 14th March this blog will transfer to our website:
Please email info@felixstowe-co.uk if you would like to continue receiving these updates.
Sanctions - Updates
New UN sanctions on North Korea
The UN Security Council has unanimously passed a resolution imposing new sanctions on North Korea. These far-reaching sanctions, which were drafted by agreement between the USA and China:- require inspection of all cargo leaving or entering North Korea by sea or air;
- ban all sales or transfers of small arms and light weapons to North Korea;
- ban the export from North Korea of coal, iron, and iron ore being used to fund North Korea’s nuclear or ballistic missile programmes;
- ban the export from North Korea of gold, titanium ore, vanadium ore, and rare earth minerals;
- ban the export to North Korea of aviation fuel, including kerosene-type rocket fuel;
- prohibit the export to and from North Korea of several new luxury items, including snowmobiles, recreational water vehicles, luxury watches, and lead crystal;
- require member states to expel North Korean diplomats who engage in “illicit activites”;
- ban North Korea from chartering vessels or aircraft, and call on countries to de-register any vessel owned, operated, or crewed by North Korea;
- prohibit the opening of new branches, subsidiaries, or representative offices of North Korean banks in member states;
- prohibit financial institutions from establishing new joint ventures, or maintaining or establishing correspondent relationships with North Korean banks;
- require that member states close North Korean banks in their jurisdictions and terminate banking relationships with them within 90 days;
- require member states to impose asset freezes on entities linked to North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes (previously they were only encouraged to do this); and
- impose asset freezes and travel bans on 16 people and 12 entities, including the agency responsible for North Korea’s rocket launch in February. 31 ships owned by Ocean Maritime Management Company will also be designated.
EU follows EU Belarus sanctions
Switzerland has followed the EU in lifting its asset freezes and travel bans that relate to all but 4 people on its sanctions against Belarus - contact us for full detailsEU implements new UN terrorism listings
The EU has added 11 people and 1 entity to its Al-Qaida / ISIL terrorism sanctions listings to implement new UN designations from 29 February 2016.
COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2016/307
of 3 March 2016
amending for the 243rd time Council Regulation (EC)
No 881/2002 imposing certain specific restrictive measures directed
against certain persons and entities associated with the Al Qaida
network
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No
881/2002 of 27 May 2002 imposing certain specific restrictive measures
directed against certain persons and entities associated with the
Al-Qaida network (1), and in particular Article 7(1)(a) and Article 7a(1) thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
|
Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 881/2002
lists the persons, groups and entities covered by the freezing of funds
and economic resources under that Regulation.
|
(2)
|
On 29 February 2016, the Sanctions
Committee of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) decided to add
eleven natural persons and one entity to the list of persons, groups and
entities to whom the freezing of funds and economic resources should
apply. Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 881/2002 should therefore be
updated accordingly.
|
(3)
|
In order to ensure that the measures
provided for in this Regulation are effective, this Regulation should
enter into force immediately,
|
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 881/2002 is amended in accordance with the Annex to this Regulation.
Article 2
This Regulation shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 3 March 2016.
For the Commission,
On behalf of the President,
Head of the Service for Foreign Policy Instruments
Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 881/2002 is amended as follows:
(1)
|
The following entries shall be added to Annex I to regulation (EC) No 881/2002 under the heading ‘Natural persons’:
|
Company News
CMA-CGM
The CMA CGM Group has announced that it will deploy starting end of May its flagship fleet of six 18,000 TEU vessels between Asia and the West coast of the U.S
In total, 6 ships of 18,000 TEUS will join the Pearl River Express service; a series of 6 ships bearing the names of great explorers
For their Indian Subcontinent/Middle East Gulf and Douala they have announts the improvement of its service from Indian Subcontinent and Middle East Gulf to Cameroon.To increase the reliability of its service to Douala, CMA CGM will connect the cargo at Pointe Noire instead of Cotonou. Cargo from India/Middle East Gulf will then benefit from a fortnightly service to Douala with a 5-day gain in transit time.
Hapag Lloyd
Hapag-Lloyd existing weekly North China India service (NCI) will be upgraded. With the restructured service, Hapag-Lloyd will have a direct Mundra call in order to provide connectivity to the comprehensive, global service networkVessel Arrest
The "Magic Orient" has been arrested in Singapore by the Supreme Court of Singapore on 29, 2016 at 8 p.m. local time following action by the local law firm Haridass Ho & Partners.Ships in trouble
M.V MFV Z90 Francine
The "Francine - Z 90" suffered a fire in the afternoon of Mar 2, 2016, 32 miles south of Lizard Point in the English Canal. The Lizard lifeboat was launched, a helicopter of the Coastguard airlifted three injured crewmenM.V. Lizrix
The vessel with a crew of eight on board alerted the CROSS Gris Nez after having suffered a damage of its propulsion system in the traffic separation scheme of the Pas de Calais. The unloaded ship was adrift about nine nautical miles from Calais.M.V. Amadeus Amethis
The "Amadeus Amethist" got in difficulty off Fécamp on Mar 3, 2016 in rough seas with waves of four to five meters and winds of 74 km/h. The vessel, which was coming from Antwerp and bound to Fécamp with a crew of eight on board, suffered engine failure and dropped anchor. Three tugs arrived shortly before noon. Two were sent by the maritime prefecture (Premar) Channel and another was mobilized by the owner. The Navy also sent a helicopter. In the late morning, the ship regained its propulsion and reached the port of Fécamp in the late afternoon.
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