Current TONS News

June 11, 2012

Riot-hit western Burma province in state of emergency

Burma's president Thein Sein has announced a state of emergency in the western state of Rakhine, following a week of attacks in the area.
A spate of violence involving Buddhists and Muslims has left seven people dead and hundreds of properties damaged.
Trouble flared after the murder of a Buddhist woman last month, followed by an attack on a bus carrying Muslims.
Officials announced a curfew in four towns in the state earlier, expressing concerns about further clashes.
A state of emergency essentially allows the military to take over administrative control of the region.
State television said the order was in response to increasing "unrest and terrorist attacks" and "intended to restore security and stability to the people immediately".
President Thein Sein said the violence could put the country's moves towards democracy in danger.
"If we put racial and religious issues at the forefront, if we put the never-ending hatred, desire for revenge and anarchic actions at the forefront, and if we continue to retaliate and terrorize and kill each other, there's a danger that (the troubles) could multiply and move beyond Rakhine," he said. "If this happens, the general public should be aware that the country's stability and peace, democratization process and development, which are only in transition right now, could be severely affected and much would be lost."
A nominally civilian government was elected in 2010 and, in April this year, opposition politicians led by Aung San Suu Kyi entered Burma's parliament following historic by-elections.
However, the government is still dominated by the military and concerns over political repression and human rights abuses continue.
The violence began on 4 June when a mob attacked a bus in Taungup, Rakhine province, apparently mistakenly believing some of the passengers were responsible for the earlier rape and murder of a Buddhist woman.
The suspected perpetrators were later arrested in the town of Ramree in the far south of the province and are now on trial.
Ten Muslims died in the attack, which led to rioting in Maung Daw and Buthidaung townships on Friday and attacks on Buddhist properties.
According to state media, the rioting left at least seven people dead and 17 wounded.
Rakhine state is named for the ethnic Rakhine Buddhist majority but also has a sizeable Muslim population, including the Rohingya minority.
The Rohingya are a Muslim ethnic group and are stateless, as Burma considers them to be illegal immigrants from neighboring Bangladesh.

CBP Announces New Recordkeeping Requirements

In a Federal Register notice published June 8, 2012, U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued a final rule amending the Customs Broker Recordkeeping Requirements regarding location and Method of Record Retention.

According to the notice, "these changes maximize the use of available technologies and serve to conform CBP’s recordkeeping requirements to reflect modern business practices without compromising the agency’s ability to monitor and enforce recordkeeping compliance."

The changes made to the current regulations include:
- Allowing a licensed customs broker, under prescribed conditions, to store records relating to his or her customs transactions at any location within the customs territory of the United States.
- Removing the requirement, as it currently applies to brokers who maintain separate electronic records, that certain entry records must be retained in their original format for the 120-day period after the release or conditional release of imported merchandise.

The amendment will go into effect on June 9, 2012.

The full text of the Federal Register notice can be accessed online at:
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-06-08/pdf/2012-13907.pdf

Per CBP, First Phase of Simplified Entry Pilot a Success

On June 4, 2012, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published CSMS #12-000197 announcing that the first phase of the Cargo Release pilot, known as Simplified Entry, was successful.

According CBP the first Simplified Entries filed at each of the three test ports - Indianapolis, Chicago and Atlanta - were received from six of the nine pilot participants selected in December, 2011.

The announcement explains that "Simplified Entry streamlines the release of goods and enhances cargo security. It segregates the filing of the transportation information from the filing of the entry information. ... Filers can update the entry information until the point that the conveyance arrives. The capability for filers to update information will result in more accurate data for CBP and Participating Government Agencies."

The CSMS also notes that CBP plans to continue development of Simplified Entry until Cargo Release is fully available in the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE).

The full text of the CSMS is available online at:
http://apps.cbp.gov/csms/viewmssg.asp?Recid=18775

ILWU, ILA dockers mull alliance to defend unions' waterfront control

NORTH AMERICA's two big docker unions - the west coast International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and the east coast International
Longshoremen's Association (ILA) - are considering an alliance to fend off other unions and union-free shops.

In the latest development, the US Marines intend to have workers represented by the International Union of Operating Engineers and the Seafarers International Union unload ammunition at the Port of Charleston, traditionally ILA turf.

Last year, the west coast ILWU protested the International Union of Operating Engineers securing jurisdiction at the new EGT grain terminal in Longview, Washington, traditionally ILWU territory.

The east coast ILA had similar problems last year when Fresh Del Monte shifted its Philadelphia operations to non-union workers.

"We would form a maritime alliance to do what the AFL-CIO is afraid to do," said ILA president Harold Daggett, in an address to the 35th conference of the ILWU in Coronado, California.

Ken Riley, president of ILA local in Charleston, South Carolina, said the operating engineers and SIU members would actually live on the ammunition ship while it is transporting the ammunition from Jacksonville to Charleston.

"We have a contract to do this work. This is very concerning to us," he said. "The ILA is working with its military consultants in Washington in an attempt to head off the loss of its traditional work," said Mr Riley.

UASC joins other lines, increases Asia-Europe rate US$505/TEU July 1

THE United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) will increase rates by US$505 per TEU and $1,010 per FEU on all cargo from Asia to north Europe and the Mediterranean from July 1.
The move follows a similar announcement by Hong Kong's Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) to increase rates $400 per TEU on cargo from the Far East, the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East to north Europe, the Mediterranean and Black Sea.

Said OOCL: "The ocean freight rate for the Asia-Europe trade has been below the required level to cover basic operating costs for a prolonged period."

Other announced rate increases on Asia-Europe routes for July 1 include a $475 per TEU hike by China Shipping and a $530 per TEU hike from Cosco.

Tons News, for current and past issues of Tons News by E-mail request from tonsnews@tonslogistics.com  or call (310) 338-0337.

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Tons News is compiled from a number of public sources that, to the best of Tons knowledge, are true and correct. It is our intent to present only accurate information. However, in the event any information contained herein is erroneous, Tons accepts no liability or responsibility.