This afternoon, Shapiro received notice that Amazon fulfillment has begun rejecting new FBA Seller inventory from its fulfillment program.  The message advised Sellers that Amazon will be implementing restrictions “to ensure we have the capacity necessary to receive, store inventory, and ship to customers quickly.” If you require additional information about alternative fulfillment warehousing, please […]

Hanjin Shipping lines is now facing a new challenge as it continues operations of loaded vessels en route to final destination. Although it seemed the issue of stranded Hanjin ships and cargo may be tapering to an end with the release of funds to pay terminal handling and unloading fees, a new problem has arisen […]

Scenario 1: Vessel Diverted to Foreign Port and Discharged: A Hanjin vessel does not arrive in the intended U.S. port and diverts to a foreign port to discharge freight. The manifest and Importer Security Filing (ISF) must be deleted. All bills of lading need to be deleted (not cancelled) Entries and entry summaries need to […]

The world’s seventh-largest container line, Hanjin Shipping, sent shockwaves throughout the industry as it filed for and was placed under court protection on Wednesday, August 31.   After a liquidity plan fell short and was rejected by the Korea Development Bank, Hanjin applied for receivership, which, once granted, will allow the company to ‘wind down’ under […]

Recent news out of South Korea suggests that Hanjin Shipping Company has lost the support of its creditor banks and may be headed for bankruptcy. The news, as reported by the Journal of Commerce, has prompted the Korean Exchange to halt trading in Hanjin shares as it looks for further clarification from the Hanjin Group. […]

On August 5th, the U.S. was added to the Chinese government’s list of Zika infected countries as a result of the localized outbreak in South Florida. The news of the inclusion of the U.S. on this list has been followed by a significant amount of confusion and vagueness concerning what the effects that this news […]

As we approach the July 1st implementation date for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention Amendments, Shapiro wants to remind our valued export customers of the upcoming changes to the export process, particularly in regards to the determination of the Verified Gross Mass, or VGM. On July 1st, the VGM will need to be […]

While U.S. exporters have voiced serious concerns over the feasibility of complying with the SOLAS Verified Gross Mass (VGM) mandate by the implementation deadline, it has now been revealed that the Coast Guard could choose to delay implementation of the mandate for up to a year provided the delay is announced prior to the July […]

A settlement was reached by the International Longshoreman’s Association and the New York Stevedores Association at 7 pm on January 29th. As a result of the quick settlement, the New York and New Jersey Ports will resume normal operations on Monday, February 1st, 2016.

As of 10:53 this morning, longshoremen walked off the job at New York and New Jersey Ports due to an ongoing labor dispute. As a result, port officials are not allowing any new trucks to enter the New York and New Jersey ports. The Port Authority is doing everything in its power to resume port […]

A chemical explosion at the Santos Port in Brazil has led to the evacuation of workers and the closure of several terminals. The explosion occurred Thursday evening as more than a dozen flammable containers combusted, causing toxic smoke to be strewn across the city. Though the fire has been entirely extinguished, a large, potentially toxic […]

Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) announced a new tariff for calculating container demurrage, detention, and per diem effective December 5, 2015 for all U.S. ports. Demurrage is defined as the free time that the carrier and terminal provide for a container once it discharges the vessel or arrives at the inland rail dept. Detention is also […]

Vessels transiting through the Panama Canal have are now experiencing up to 10 day delays as the industry struggles to understand the cause and find a solution to the deteriorating conditions. According to the Journal of Commerce, adverse weather conditions and repairs to the existing locks are contributing factors. What is certain is that carriers […]

Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) is experiencing major disruptions at its Charleston, SC gateways. Many tracks have washed out, and many bridges have been deemed unsafe for passage due to the record rainfall and heavy flooding in the area. Norfolk Southern personnel are actively surveying the area and reporting that not all gates are operational.  At […]

Tianjin, China’s sixth largest container port, suffered a deadly explosion Wednesday, August 12, 2015 at 11:20 p.m.  The blast, which killed at least 114 people according to Chinese officials, originated from a Tianjin Dongjiang Port Rui Hai International Logistics Company dangerous goods warehouse.  The Company’s senior executives have been taken into detention pending an investigation. […]

In a somewhat surprising move, China’s Ministry of Commerce has rejected the proposed P3 Vessel-Sharing Agreement (VSA), an alliance that suggested major changes to the world’s shipping industry.  Comprised of 3 of the world’s top carriers (Maersk, MSC, and CMA CGM), the P3 would have accounted for approximately 42-47% of the Asia-Europe capacity, at least […]

Just when all eyes are on West Coast port labor, the Charleston International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) filed paperwork for the right to strike. While there has yet to be any work stoppage or noticeable slow-downs, the local ILA in Charleston now has the legal right to strike. There are three main aspects to the conflict: […]

International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) have ratified the five-year contract agreement with the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA).  The contract was confirmed on Friday, May 22, 2015, more than a year since negotiations began, and will be retroactive to the previous contract’s July 1, 2014 expiration, remaining valid through July 1, 2019. The agreement was […]

The Houston shipping channel remains partially closed after a chemical tanker, the Carla Maersk, collided with a bulk carrier, the Condi Peridot, at 12:41 p.m. Monday, March 9th.  The U.S. Coast Guard began clean-up of the methyl tetr-butyl ether (MTBE) spill creating a 4-8 mile safety zone.  MTBE, a gasoline additive, is highly flammable and dangerous if inhaled in high […]

As reported in the Wall Street Journal and Reuters, protests against a 15-centavo-per-liter ($0.20/gallon) fuel tax hike in Brazil have entered their seventh day and are spreading across the country. What originally started as an isolated protest in Mato Grosso, has quickly spread to six other states throughout Brazil.  Truckers are using their vehicles to block […]