UPDATES: Chassis Rentals

American Presidents Lines (APL) has joined the ever growing list of Lines that are no longer providing chassis in Houston, as of April 15th  2013 and OOCL will no longer provide chassis in Houston, as of July 1, 2013.  

          Atlantic Cargo Lines            CMA-CGM               COSCO               CSAV

          Galborg                                 Hamburg Sud             HAPAG Lloyd     Horizon Lines

          Hyundai                                K-Lines                      Maersk - APM    Nordana

          NSCSA                                 Pacific Int'l                 SAF Marine         United Arab Shipping

          US Lines

In addition several of our carriers have announced an increase in Daily Chassis Rental Rates to $25.00 per day.

Tips on operating your car safely around trucks

From our Friends over at Jetco:

OWIT -- Anticorruption, Regulations and Compliance Issues in Trade and Logistics

Organization of Women in International Trade
Houston Chapter

Quarterly Luncheon – Anti-corruption, Regulations
and Compliance Issues in Trade and Logistics. 

February 27th 

Céline Gerson joined Cameron International Corporation (“Cameron”) as Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer from the acquisition of NATCO Group Inc. by Cameron. In her position, Ms. Gerson’s primary responsibilities include oversight of compliance related policies, procedures, enforcement and investigations, and training program. Her area of responsibility include Export Controls, Customs, FCPA and other anticorruption laws and regulations, Anti-Boycott and OFAC. Prior to joining NATCO and Cameron, Ms. Gerson represented clients on trade compliance and anticorruption matters.

Prior to becoming an attorney, Ms. Gerson also developed substantive international business skills through her position as the executive of an international trading oilfield company, where she acquired proficiency in international business practices in the areas of export of goods and services, negotiation of contracts and dispute resolution, among many other skills. These skills were used in connection with transactions between large multinational companies in Latin America, Europe, West Africa and Southeast Asia. 

Ms. Gerson is also a certified mediator and is fluent in French, Spanish and German. She is also an avid diver.

Date: February 27, 2013
Time: 11:30 AM – 01:00 PM
Place: University of Houston Small Business Development Center (UHSBDC)
2302 Fannin St.
Houston, TX 77002

Cost: Members - $5.00
Non-Members - $15.00
Lunch - $10.00

RSVP

Just a little Ole Pick-Up

One of the GREAT things about our Business is the variety of companies that we work with and the unexpected items that we handle for them.

This little surprise arrived this past week and is bound for overseas.

 

It's Not just the Stuffing . . . .

Stuffing containers is a common term in our industry.    One that I always thought was misleading  as if you just "STUFF" material and equipment into a container,  how do you know it's going to arrive in the same condition that you loaded it in.

We don't just "STUFF"  we take the time to consider many things when "STUFFING"  containers,  a few of our key points are.  

• What is the final destination,  and how will they be unloading at the final delivery location?
• Movement of the ship on the water,  will the loaded material stay in place during not only the handling,  but  in the standard sway of a ship, or a storm.  How to keep the material from moving  back and forth or from side to side?
• Weight distribution within the container itself 
• Rub points are another concern that we have,  and we use softeners between the equipment and  banding/Lashing
• Are the ISPM 15 markings easily seen?

There are many more aspects that we take into consideration  when "LOADING" a container, to ensure that the material is received in the same condition that it was loaded in.

Port of Houston Updates -- Potential Strike

This "potential strike" will not just affect the Port of Houston but ALL the container ports, down the east coast and the Gulf of Mexico.  We,  at Dixie Cullen,  understand that this is a stressful time for many of you not knowing until the last minute how your cargo is going to be affected.

Please note that Dixie Cullen is here to assist you, in what way that we can from staging containers and cargo in our yard to storing product and material on our warehouse house floor until you can ship.  Contact our office with your specific requirements and we will be flexible in trying to accommodate your needs.

Just call or email   832-465-8670   Catherine@dixiecullen.com

Port of Houston Update

December 20th, 2012

To all PHA Customers and Stakeholders:

The Port of Houston Authority (PHA) continues to closely monitor the contract negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), and to date, an agreement has not been reached between the two entities.  Therefore, it appears that a strike is likely to occur at PHA’s Barbours Cut Container Terminal (BCT) and Bayport Container Terminal (Bayport) beginning Sunday, December 30, 2012.  We have been advised that operations at PHA’s general cargo facilities, including the Turning Basin Terminal, will not be disrupted by this strike.

The Port Authority staff is in regular communication on this matter with the container carriers that call at PHA’s terminals, as well as representatives of the ILA members who work at PHA’s terminals, and has initiated contingency plans in preparation for the anticipated work stoppage. Currently planned contingency plans are as follows:

On December 26, 27, and 28, 2012 (subject to CBP’s ability to work overtime as described below), prior to the work stoppage, both BCT and Bayport will have extended gate hours, remaining open from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on each of these days.  Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has agreed to man the RPMs as long as there is sufficient volume to support its overtime work. An evaluation will be made during the morning hours of December 27, 2012 to determine if volume was sufficient on the 26th to justify additional overtime work on the 27th. If not, the extended gate hours will be canceled for the 27th and the 28th.

• Once the strike commences, both BCT and Bayport will be closed for all vessel and gate activity.
• All PHA staff will report to work at their usual starting times until further notice.
• Storage/demurrage charges for all containers will be suspended for each day that BCTand Bayport respectively is closed due to the strike.
• PHA will continue to regularly update customers and other stakeholders on the PHA website during the strike.
• PHA staff will stand ready to quickly reopen BCT and Bayport and return to normaloperating procedures when the strike is over.
• The measures outlined in this Memo apply only to PHA operated facilities and do not apply to the Maersk‐APM Terminal located at Barbours Cut Terminal

 

Gulf and East Coast Ports -- ILA Talks Reach an Impasse

ILA and USMX Talks Reach an Impasse

Dear Catherine"Cathy", OHL recently received word that negotiations on a new contract between the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) and employers represented by the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX) broke off abruptly this afternoon. The ILA and USMX were slated to mainly discuss container royalties - payments that are made to longshoremen based on the weight of containerized cargo. USMX has wanted to cap those payments at existing levels and eliminate royalties for new hires. The ILA has been reported to have said they are willing to extend the contract to Feb. 1st and keep talking if USMX would be willing to take the container royalty cap off the table. In exchange the ILA would be willing to show USMX other ways to offset the royalties. Reportedly USMX declined the ILA’s offer and in turn the ILA said they plan to strike as of Dec. 29th unless they hear back from USMX before then. Dave Adam, senior vice president and chief operating officer of USMX, said "employers are willing to continue to bargain in good faith," but that the ILA had put terms on the extension that were unacceptable.” OHL will continue to monitor the situation closely to ensure we are ready to re-route cargo as needed. The contingencies being planned will be subject to the underlying carrier’s service and availability.

ILA Authorizes Strike

We received this information this morning and thought we would share it with you as it's an issue that COULD effect many of us on December 29th.  We thank OHL for taking the time to share.

ILA Authorizes Strike

Here at OHL, we have been following the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) Strike to provide you, our customers with the most recent updates regarding ILA negotiations for better insight. Most recently the negotiations between the ILA and  East and Gulf Coast Employers (USMX), under the auspices of the Mediation & Conciliation Service resumed today here in Washington DC. They are scheduled to run through Wednesday of this week. At this point there is no agreement to further extend the discussions beyond December 29, although that is always a possibility. The ILA issued a press release that the membership has provided ILA President Harold Daggett with strike authority if the two sides cannot reach an agreement by December 29. Washington insiders caution that this does NOT mean the ILA has decided to strike. Wednesday afternoon will provide us with insight into whether the parties are making progress, or not and OHL will keep you posted. If all ports on the US Gulf Coast and US East Coast are shut down in connection with the ILA strike, OHL International will assist customers in trying to utilize alternate port on the US West Coast or via Canada where possible.We are monitoring the situation closely to ensure we are ready to re-route cargo as needed. The contingencies being planned will be subject to the underlying carrier’s service and availability. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your OHL Account Manager, local OHL Station or OHL Trade Services at tradeservices@ohl.com. You can also find updates on the OHL website Trade Alerts page. Categories: Trade Services Industry Updates Sincerely, OHL Trade Services T: 215-238-8600 F: 215-238-8554 E: tradeservices@ohl.com Visit our Trade Alert Library by clicking your topic of interest below:

Seminar: Complying with U. S. Export Controls

BIS - Houston DEC Seminar 1/29/2013-1/30/2013

Dear Clients and Friends: The Houston District Export Council (DEC) will be hosting a BIS two-day seminar entitled “Complying with U.S. Export Controls” on Tuesday, January 29th, through Wednesday, January 30th, in Houston, TX, at the Hotel Derek. This two-day program, co-sponsored with the Houston District Export Council, is led by BIS's professional counseling staff and provides an in-depth examination of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). The program will cover the information exporters need to know to comply with U.S. export control requirements on commercial goods. This program is well suited for those who need a comprehensive understanding of their obligations under the EAR. Technical, policy, and enforcement professionals from BIS, as well as specialists from other U.S. Government agencies such as the Office of Foreign Assets Control and the Bureau of Census will participate in certain programs.   Time:  7:30 am breakfast/registration until 4:30 pm. Cost: $450.00 per person (Includes breakfast, lunch and breaks each day) Details/Registration:  http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=qg6pm6iab&oeidk=a07e6kweesg121b0d1e&oseq=a011egyoxmhnh Sincerely, Jamie Joiner Chair, Houston District Export Council Attorney, Joiner Law Firm