Vessel News

 

M.V. Queen Elizabeth II

 

 

Calls to save the historic Queen Elizabeth 2 cruise ship have been intensifying amid revelations that the stunning and historic ocean liner is currently residing in a state of disrepair in Dubai. As the engine was turns off in 2013 the ship has suffered under pressure from the country's hot, humid conditions leading to significant mould outbreaks. Concerned campaigners feel that if this sort of thing continues without any restorative work being done, the future of this iconic cruise ship could unfortunately the scrapheap, which would be a tragedy for such a beautiful iconic ship.

The vessel is sitting in Dubai with no power, no air and vessel is filthy.

The vessel is estimated a sale value of £3 million 

Port News

 

Kingston Upon Hull

 

CITY councillors say the idea of developing a new £31m cruise terminal in Hull is "not beyond reach". The ambitious scheme was launched almost three years ago as part of the council's ten-year Hull Plan. Since then, the authority has committed £800,000 to be spent on working up feasibility proposals. There is a need for further support of £9.2m.

Liverpool

 

Cunard has signalled it will resurrect transatlantic crossings from Liverpool to New York if the city goes ahead with plans for a new cruise terminal

 

Odisha's Paradip Port - India 

 

Indian Railway Ministry’s Conker Multi Made Logistic Ltd will soon build a dedicated container terminal in Odisha’s Paradip port. The information was provided by Conker Director V Kalyan Rama yesterday after he held a meeting with Paradip Port Trust (PPT) Chairman Rinkesh Roy in Paradip. the operation would be over a ten year period.

Muscat  - Oman

 

Oman is talking to Iran to participate in the development of three Omania ports alongside logistics activities. Omani ~Foreign Minister has expressed his country's interest to invest in Iran.

 

C-TPAT, AEO and MRA - Benefits and Drawbacks to Security Arrangements

The first major post 9-11 security program adopted by U. S. Customs was the voluntary program known as the Customs – Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT). This program was developed under then Customs Commissioner Robert C. Bonner in part to leverage the knowledge that importers and subsequently other supply chain providers have about their own suppliers and operations; in part to give U. S. companies a way to demonstrate their concern with import security issues; and in part to demonstrate to Congress that methods other than 100% cargo inspections could be devised to secure America’s imports. C-TPAT quickly grew to include several thousand certified members, mostly but not exclusively larger companies. Membership allowed these companies to consider themselves a part of the 9-11 security response, and demonstrate their commitment to security to Customs and other agencies. As the program expanded to include customs brokers, carriers, and other service providers, it became a selling tool for such companies seeking business from C-TPAT certified importers as part of an integrated secure supply chain.

C-TPAT also served as the template for the development by the World Customs Organization of the SAFE Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade. A major component of the SAFE Framework is the Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) concept, including the use of Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRA) between countries implementing such programs. AEO programs are required to be full-fledged operations, with strong validation and security components

built in, to qualify for MRA participation. AEO programs have been adopted by dozens of countries, some using their own program names (Partners in Protection in Canada, the Secure Export Scheme in New Zealand, the Golden List in Jordan), with Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Israel, and all of the European Union included. As of December 2014, the U. S. has entered into MRA agreements with all of those jurisdictions, and is working toward agreements with China and Switzerland.

In the decade plus since the institution of the C-TPAT Program, membership grew to over 10,000 certified partners, but has stagnated at that level over the past several years despite plans by Customs to at least quadruple the size. (C-TPAT partners do import over 50% of the total value of U.S. imports, while constituting less than 1% of the total number of importers.) As the program developed and Customs gained more experience, the minimum security criteria and the information required from participants – particularly sometimes difficult to obtain data regarding foreign suppliers; and the formality of presentation – all electronic submission through a web Portal; increased. Validations have sometimes seemed to use mandatory checklists with limited applicability, such as questions relating to production facilities applied to office locations, or to container operations for bulk cargo like steel, with little opportunity to explain the differences or non-applicability. More validations are also being conducted in expensive, difficult locations, including those with limited volumes of trade.

A number of companies have begun to question continued participation as the costs and difficulty of maintaining certification increase, and the benefits seem more distant or elusive. Although Customs statistics show that C-TPAT participants undergo fewer cargo examinations, for many companies the actual reduced number has not been too significant. “Front of the line” exam processing and expedited trade processing by Centers for Excellence and Expertise (CEEs) have (at least yet) also not been found particularly helpful or necessary. The possibility of expedited treatment in any trade disruption is seen as (at least so far) an illusory benefit.

There are some meaningful benefits. For carriers, participation allows access to the FAST lanes (highway carriers) and penalty mitigation (maritime carriers for late ISF data). Importer participation is required to join the Importer Self Assessment (ISA) program, and to secure Partnership level processing from the CEEs.  Importers with large numbers of entries receive greater benefits from reduced inspections. The inclusion of other government agencies, such as the FDA and TSA, results in benefits to companies regulated by such agencies.

MRAs with AEO countries reduce the time and cost for C-TPAT importers when their suppliers are part of the exporting country AEO program – both verification and validation is done by accepting the other country’s approvals. (This does mean that U.S. validations of foreign suppliers will be of non-AEO companies and countries.) The addition of a C-TPAT for exporters module means that exporters qualified and validated by U.S. Customs can be accepted as validated suppliers in the importing country’s AEO program without necessitating a second set of documentation and/or verification.

It remains to be seen whether the increasing costs and complexity of participating in C-TPAT will lead to continued lack of growth or even reduction in numbers, or the benefits from full implementation of the CEEs, improved administration from the consolidation of the trusted trader programs, and expansion of the number of MRAs will trigger greater interest in becoming a member. Customs continues to direct significant resources to the program and push new companies to apply and current members to maintain membership.


Mutual RecognitionofAEOs = China, Japan, Norway, Switzerland, USA

Country	Date Launched	Program Title	Type	Number
Argentina	2006	Customs System of Reliable Operators (SAOC)	Export	7
Canada	1995 Revised 2002, 2008	Partners in Protection (PIP), Customs Self-Assessment (CSA), Free and Secure Trade (FAST), Partners in Compliance (PIC)	PIP - Import/export CSA, FAST, PIC - Import	1,535
Colombia	2011	AEO	Import / Export	NA
Costa Rica	2001	PROFAC	Export	1
China	2008	Classified Management of Enterprises	Import / Export	2,174
Dominican Republic	2012	AEO	Import / Export	NA
EU (27 countries)	2008	AEO	Import / Export	13,885
Guatemala	2011	AEO	Import / Export	2
Hong  Kong, China	2012	Hong Kong AEO	Import / Export	15
India	2012	AEO	Import / Export	4
Israel	2011	AEO	Import / Export	8
Japan	2006	AEO	Import / Export	518
Jordan	2005	Golden List	Import / Export	44
Kenya	2010	AEO	Import / Export	38
Korea	2009	AEO	Import / Export	292
Malaysia	2010	AEO	Import / Export	48
Mexico	2012	NEEC	Export	41
New Zealand	2004	Secure Exports Scheme (SES)	Export	123
Norway	2009	AEO	Import / Export	32
Peru	2012	UAC-OEA	Export	NA
Singapore	2007	Secure Trade Partnership (STP)	Import / Export	110
Switzerland	2011	AEO	Import / Export	14
Taiwan	2010	AEO	Import / Export	292
Thailand	2011	AEO	Import / Export	111
Turkey	2013	AEO		6
Uganda	2012	AEO	Import / Export	NA
USA	2001	Customs-Trade Partnership against Terrorism (CTPAT)	Import Export program in development	11,201

The following are developing or have developed AEO programmes

Country	Program Title	Type
Botswana	Trans Kalahari Accreditation Scheme	Import / Export
Chile	AEO Pilot	Export
Ecuador	AEO	Export
El Salvador	AEO	Import
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia	AEO	Import / Export
Indonesia	AEO	Export
Morocco	AEO	Import / Export
Serbia	AEO	Import / Export
Seychelles	AEO	Import / Export
Tunisia	AEO	Import / Export
Uruguay	Qualified Economic Operator	Import / Export

 

If you need information advice and guidence concering the above please contact us on our helpline 01394 458554  or email info@felixstowe-ac.co.uk

22th February 2015

 

Ships in trouble

 

M.V. Laura

The cargo vessel Laura encountered a fire in the engine room on 19th February 2016 during its journey on the Rhine river near Duisburg-Homberg.  The fire was extinguished on arrival at its destination

M.V. Pride of Hull

18 suspected illegal migrants have been found in the back of a lorry from the above vessel. The vessel was travelling from Rotterdam to Hull and the driver of the lorry has been arrested on suspicion of facilities illegal immigration.

 M.V. Titan 2 

Mexican prosecutors have ordered a seized ship which belongs to a Crimean company to be returned to the Ukraine.  The owners of the ship a Mexican company went bankrupt  which caused the vessel to be seized

Company News

 

Maersk  -  M.V. Sofie Maersk

 

 

 

Maersk Line's AC3 network provides customers with a faster connection from Central Merica, Caribbean and the West Coast of South America to Yokaohama. The service includes both dry and reefer cargo.

Trade News

 

Israel says freeze on EU peace role is over

(JERUSALEM) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the EU foreign policy chief held talks Friday, in effect ending a freeze on talks with the bloc on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the foreign ministry said.

Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon told journalists that the EU's Federica Mogherini said the European Union's November decision to label goods imported from Jewish settlements "does not prejudge the outcome" of the conflict.
"The conversation resolved the tensions and we are, Israel and the EU, back to good and close relations," Nahshon wrote in an English-language comment on social media.
On November 11, Netanyahu, who is also foreign minister, ordered the freeze in response to an EU directive to member governments to label settlement produce imported to Europe as such rather than "Made in Israel".

US-backed peace talks between the Palestinians and Israel collapsed in April 2014 after nine months of fruitless meetings amid bitter recriminations.
A wave of violence which erupted on October 1 has claimed the lives of 26 Israelis, as well as an American, a Sudanese and an Eritrean, according to an AFP count.

China's Industrial overcapacity is damaging global economy.

China's overcapacity in heavy industries is wreaking "far-reaching" damage on the global economy, with steel production "completely untethered" from market demand, the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China said Monday.

EU hits China with a new steel anti-dumping probes

The EU launched new probes on Friday into imports of Chinese steel, warning it would not allow "unfair competition" to threaten Europe's industry already crumbling under a flood of cheap imports.

 

Georgia to build $2.5bn Black Sea port on China's Silk Road

 

Georgia on Monday announced plans to build a new deep-water Black Sea port in a $2.5-billion project that aims to boost trade between China and Europe along the historic Silk Road route.

19th February 2016

Vessel News

 

M.V. Sun Aries

 

 

Independent tank storage company Vopak Monday announced it has received its first cargo at the new liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) facility at its Banyan terminal on Jurong Island

 

M.V. Costa Concordia 

Deck 0 is being about to be exposed as dismantling continues on the "Costa Concordia". About 200 technicians are working on the wreck

M.V El Faro

The federal hearing into the loss of the "El Faro" and its crew of 33 opened on Feb 17 and is focusing on the age of the vessel as a popssible cause.

M.V. Km Linasbelawan

The vessel caught fire on the 17th February off the Maselembo island in the Jarva Sea. All 19 crew were taken on board a lifeboat.
 

Port News

 

Port of Tauranga

The port is now ready to accept larger ships as it s sees a growth in container and diary export volumes

M.V. Cosco Europe

The vessel was hit whilst berthed by a drifting boxship caused by strong winds as the m.v. Johanna broke the moorings 

 Port of Wenzhou

The government in Zheijian have commenced preliminary works to intergrate three ports  Jiaxing, Wenzhou and Taizhou ports with to other major ports Nigbo and Azhousan port who have already completed a merger in 2015

 Trade News

 

 Israel says freeze on EU peach role is over.

Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon told journalists that the EU's Federica Mogherini said the European Union's November decision to label goods imported from Jewish settlements "does not prejudge the outcome" of the conflict.


The conversation resolved the tensions and we are, Israel and the EU, back to good and close relations," Nahshon wrote in an English-language comment on social media. 
 

ATR Signs EUR 1.0bn planes deal wih Iran

European manufacturer of turboprop aircraft ATR said Monday it had signed a one-billion-euro deal with Iran Air for up to 40 planes after the dropping of US sanctions against Iran.

 

EU delays decision on China market economy status

The EU on Wednesday said it would wait until later this year to decide if China should finally be considered a real market economy, a status keenly sought by Beijing that would make it harder for Europe to limit its cheap exports.

EU - Vietnam Free Trade Agreement: AGreed tect as of January 2016

The text of the EU-Vietnam Agreement is made public here exclusively for information purposes. The text presented in this document is the text at the end of the negotiations conducted by the European Commission. It will be subject to legal revision in order to verify the internal consistency and to ensure that the formulations of the negotiating results are legally sound. It will thereafter be transmitted to the Council of the European Union and to the European Parliament for ratification. The text presented in this document is not binding under international law and will only become so after the completion of the ratification process.