News / Supply Chain Alerts

Canadian Pacific Railway Limited (CP) announced that a new labor agreement was reached with both the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference – Train & Engine (TCRC) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), averting the potential work stoppage scheduled for 12:01am EDT April 21. CP’s embargoes for shipments routing to and from CP Canadian locations were canceled and CP immediately executed a safe and structured start-up of its train operations in Canada. The CP Customer Service Team is available to answer questions.

For more information, please contact your local MIQ Logistics representative. 

The Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration has again implemented traffic control measures over the Yangtze River waterway from April 21 through April 23 due to restricted visibility of less than 500 meters. Shanghai arrivals and departures, and sailing schedules will be impacted for the next six days, resulting in a compounding effect on sailing schedules from main ports in China.

For more information, please contact your local MIQ Logistics representative. 

Canadian Pacific Railway Limited (CP) announced that the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference – Train & Engine (TCRC) and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) have delivered a 72-hour notice of their respective plans to strike on April 21, 2018 at 12:01am EDT. The two unions represent over 3,300 engineers, conductors, signal and communication workers.

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Dense fog has hampered vessel and port operations for Shanghai and Ningbo ports during the past three weeks, resulting in lengthy vessel delays, significant port congestion, outbound vessels unable to depart, and inbound vessels unable to dock. Operations have been further impacted by the implementation of Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration traffic control measures on the Yangtze River waterway. Average vessel delays of three to four days, up to a week, have been experienced.

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The latest United States Trade Representative (USTR) proposed application of an additional 25% duty covering more than 1300 import tariff classifications including: medicaments; pumps and valves; machinery for the oil and gas, agriculture, food, beverage, and apparel industries; motors; generators; trucks; bulldozers; railway cars; automobiles; helicopters; airplanes; boats; and consumer products such as dishwashers, microwaves, TVs, and VCRs. The list of products, defined by 8-digit subheadings of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), is set out in the Annex to the Federal Register Notice (click here).

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The United States Trade Representative (USTR) has proposed another $50B worth of 25% tariffs on China imports, to which China has responded with 25% tariffs on another 106 American products.

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On Friday March 23rd, President Trump signed the omnibus spending bill which included language for Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) renewal.  GSP will be reinstated on April 23^rd (30 days after enactment) and valid through December 31^st, 2020.  GSP will also apply retroactively to entries from January 1^st through the reinstatement date.

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The most recent Nor’easter of the season is impacting logistics from Washington D.C. to Boston. 

The latest storm summary from NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) shows snow accumulation throughout 9 states, with some of the heaviest accumulation for Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York.

With snow expected to continue for the New York and New Jersey, and Washington D.C. areas from Wednesday into Thursday, there have already been hundreds of flight cancelations and port closures.  Below is a summary of what is being reported as of Wed (3/21).

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The President announced today that he concurred with the Commerce Department’s findings in its Section 232 investigations that imports of steel and aluminum impair national security. Pursuant to the recommendations contained in the Commerce Department’s Report, the President ordered a 25 percent ad valorem tariff on steel articles and a 10 percent ad valorem tariff on aluminum articles, as defined below, imported from all countries except Canada and Mexico.  These additional duties will be effective with respect to goods entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after 12:01 a.m. eastern daylight time on March 23, 2018.

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This is a follow-up to our February 22, 2018 Supply Chain Alert regarding the Commerce Department report on the results of the Section 232 investigation concerning the effects of imports of steel and aluminum on national security. The President is required to make a decision on the steel recommendations by April 11, 2018, and on the aluminum recommendations by April 19, 2018.

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