Panama Canal Expansion is Completed in 2016! A huge 984-foot 'Cosco Shipping Panama' carrying 9,472 containers completed the first official voyage on June 26th (2016) through the new expanded massive locks of the Panama Canal. The $5.4 billion project to expand the 102-year-old canal took almost 10 years and 40,000 workers to complete. The new set of locks now allows … [Read more...]
West Coast Ports Meeting to Talk Contract Extension
West Coast ports Meeting to Talk Contract Extension From Reuters: Major cargo shippers and the union representing dockworkers at 29 U.S. West Coast ports have agreed to talks on a possible extension of their current contract, which is set to expire in mid-2019, the two sides said in a joint statement on Tuesday. Negotiators for the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and … [Read more...]
SOLAS-VGM: Container Weight Mandate Begins
SOLAS-VGM: Container Weight Mandate Begins SOLAS [Safety of Life at Sea] VGM [Verified Gross Mass] process has begun for ships sailing on or after July 1, 2016. Containers must have verified weight documents if they are to be loaded onto a ship. Here are two options to meet the regulations: The first is to weigh a container on a truck as it passes over a weigh … [Read more...]
Updated Importer Security Filing (ISF) Enforcement – June 30th
Updated Importer Security Filing (ISF) Enforcement - June 30th There is new ISF enforcement that will be applicable for all cargoes on the water on or after June 30, 2016: Per CSMS #16-000499, Customs & Border Protection (CBP) at U.S. ports is no longer required to send requests for liquidated damages (LD) to its Headquarters for approval. Non-compliant Importer … [Read more...]
UPDATE: For SOLAS – Verified Gross Mass
UPDATE: For SOLAS - Verified Gross Mass From IMO (International Maritime Organization): An MSC circular on Advice to Administrations, port State control authorities, companies, port terminals and masters regarding the SOLAS requirements for verified gross mass of packed containers has been agreed by the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) of the IMO, following discussion on … [Read more...]