Ports Asks EU to Focus on Port Economy
Pic: Port of Rotterdam Antwerp and Rotterdam Port Authorities asked new European Commission (EC) and Parliament to focus on the economic significance of ports. The energy transition and digitization are the two strategic challenges facing large industrial ports. The European Union can offer port authorities and industrial clusters important incentives to achieve the transition toward…
Human rights abuse alert as China's Xinjiang supply chain links expand
Known and suspected detention facilities in Kashgar, Hotan and Urumqi between Jan 2016 and Sep 2018. Source: Australian Strategic Policy Institute By Gavin van Marle 13/09/2019 Food and hi-tech electronic supply chains have been warned they may be caught up in the growing use of forced labour in China’s western Xinjiang province. The province is home…
Hong Kong urges US to focus on bilateral trade and not on protests
HONG KONG’s Secretary for Commerce Edward Yau has called on the US to focus on its bilateral trading relationship with the city, and not on the anti-government protests that have evolved to demand greater democracy for Hong Kong. Mr Yau believes Washington is trying to make “an unwarranted and unnecessary” link between its trade policy and the…
Ban on exporting of hazmat waste to developing countries goes into law
CROATIA’s ratification of the 1995 Basel Ban Amendment has enabled this global anti-waste dumping rule to finally enter into the force of international law on December 5. The ban amendment – adopted by the parties to the Basel Convention in 1995 – prohibits the export of hazardous wastes from member states of the European Union, Organisation for…
Do Ports Need Global Regulation?
Pics: International Maritime Organization (IMO) Ports are essential for the global supply chain – but do they need more international regulation? High-level speakers engaged in a lively debate at a joint Hutchison Ports, International Maritime Organization (IMO) and IMO International Maritime Law Institute (IMLI) seminar (9 September), to address the question: “Do ports need international…
FMC set to review 'costly and unfair' demurrage and detention fees
By Gavin van Marle 09/09/2019 The US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) is backing proposals aimed at reforming how demurrage and detention fees are levied by ocean carriers on shippers. The main change would be that charges be suspended in cases when shippers and their 3PLs are prevented from moving cargo out of terminals by factors beyond…
US-China trade conflict could take years to resolve, says Kudlow
WHITE HOUSE economic adviser Larry Kudlow has said the United States wants “near term” results from US-China trade talks in September and October but cautioned that the trade conflict could take years to resolve, reported Reuters. Mr Kudlow, director of the [http://]National Economic Council, said that although the United States and China have been negotiating on trade…
China and US to hold Washington trade talks in October amid mistrust
CHINA and the US announced have announced direct trade talks in Washington aimed at ending their tariff war in the coming weeks, reports Bloomberg. Chinese Vice Premier Liu He agreed to a visit “in early October” during a telephone call with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, according to a statement from…
Creating freeports will be 'no magic wand' for a post-Brexit Britain
© Tomas1111 | Dreamstime.com – Big Ben and Houses of Parliament at evening, London, UK By Alexander Whiteman 04/09/2019 Freeports (otherwise known as free-trade zones, or FTZs) are “not a magic wand for reviving struggling regions”, despite claims made by the UK’s international trade secretary Liz Truss. Shortly following her appointment, Ms Truss claimed FTZs would transform…
China lodges WTO complaint over US tariffs, turns to domestic shale gas
CHINA has lodged a case against the United States with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over US import duties, said the Ministry of Commerce reported CNBC. The US began imposing 15 per cent tariffs on a variety of Chinese goods on Sunday – including footwear, smart watches and flat-panel The latest tariffs violated the consensus reached by leaders of…
US Coast Guard issues advisories for east coast ports
US Coast Guard cutters gathered in Key West. Photo Petty Officer 2nd Class Jonathan Lally. With Hurricane Dorian now tracking towards the US, evacuations have begun in coastal areas along the east coast from Florida to parts of the Carolinas. Dorian is weakening as it heads towards the US, but its high winds are forecast…
Whitehall splashes out £30m to help ports, roads and rail cope with Brexit
By Alexander Whiteman 30/08/2019 Government grants to help ports prepare for a no-deal Brexit have been welcomed by operators, but the British Ports Association (BPA) claims only a trade deal with the EU will avoid disruption. The Department for Transport (DfT) announced this morning it had issued £30m to be spent on upgrades to port infrastructure…
UK readies $ 36,5 m in emergency ports funding as Brexit nears
UK readies $36.5m in emergency ports funding as Brexit nears
US ports in southeast benefit from sourcing shifts triggered by trade war
US shippers are using other low-cost nations to replace Chinese manufacturing as a result of the ongoing US-China trade war. Greater volumes of goods from those countries are being transported to the US via smaller seaports, particularly southeast seaports, as shippers opt for lower costs. An average tariff rate of 18.3 per cent is now…