East Coast Labor Update: Agreement Extended 90 Days

Client Alert The following is a statement by Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service Director George H. Cohen on U.S. Maritime Alliance and International Longshoremen’s Association labor negotiations. WASHINGTON, D.C. — I am pleased to announce that at the close of today’s productive negotiation session, in which progress was made on several important subjects, the parties…

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The Compliance Gap

In recent years, more and more U.S. companies have entered the arena of international business, either through global sourcing or new export sales initiatives. Whether import or export-oriented, these global business initiatives typically require substantial preparation and planning to be successfully launched and sustained. Planning for new global sourcing programs requires development of total-cost sourcing…

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China’s Upcoming Public Holidays

Client Alert The government and most businesses in mainland China will be closed from September 30-October 7 for public holidays. We urge all clients to book upcoming shipments as soon as possible to avoid delays during this time. To book your shipment now, please contact your Mohawk customer service representative.

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Attack of the Asia Gypsy Moth

Asian gypsy moths are invading ports across North America. Is this the plot of a campy monster movie? No. It's reality. U.S. and Canadian authorities are reporting high numbers of incoming commercial vessels infested with Asian gypsy moth egg masses. To avoid spreading the pest through North America, once an infestation is discovered on board,…

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Brush Up on the Basics of AES Compliance

The Census Bureau has revised their best practices manual for the Automated Export System (AES). Exporters can review their own internal processes against those recommended in the manual. The document covers training, the basics of foreign trade regulations, AES response messages, how to make corrections in AES, and more. AES Compliance Best Practices Manual

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Just Your Average General Rate Increase

Recently some of the big Less Than Truckload (LTL) carriers, including Con-Way, FedEx, UPS, and YRC, announced a General Rate Increase (GRI). They were in the ball park of 6-7%. With the big boys leading the way, many more LTL carriers joined in with their own rate increases. As I wrote in last month’s article, the…

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East Coast Labor Talks Halted. Got a Contingency Plan in Place?

Client Alert: Update on East Coast Labor Talks Contract negotiations abruptly broke off Wednesday (8/22) between the International Longshoremen's Association and their employers, the U.S. Maritime Association, after management presented labor with a proposal described as 'take it or leave it' according to the Journal of Commerce. Ongoing local and regional negotiations were likewise halted.…

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Typhoon Delays Shipments In/Out of East China

Client Alert Typhoon Haikui has hit East China, prompting ports to close and flights to be cancelled. Clients with ocean and air shipments coming into or going out of Shanghai, Ningbo, Hangzhou, and the surrounding areas will experience transportation delays through this Friday. Depending on weather conditions, these delays could extend past Friday. If you…

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