CTSA GRI EFFECTIVE APRIL 15, 2012
Container shipping lines in the Canada Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (CTSA) have adopted the following General Rate Increase (GRI), effective April 15 2012 which will be applicable from all CTSA origins to all destinations in Canada.
$320.00 per 20ft container
$400.00 per 40ft container
$450.00 per 40ft HC container
$505.00 per 45ft container
Proportionate increases will be taken for cargo rated on a weight, measurement, per unit or other basis. Once again, these rate increases are interim, and are subject to any additional subsequent increases. CTSA is a discussion forum of 10 major container shipping lines serving the trade from Asia to ports and inland points in Canada.
HARPER GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES INVESTMENTS FOR THE PORT OF MONTREAL + ST. LAWERENCE
The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, Thursday announced that the federal government will invest in modernizing the Port of Montreal and in the St. Lawrence navigation system, two important elements in the network that makes up Canada's Continental Gateway.
The Government of Canada is investing in projects that will optimize the container areas in the Maisonneuve and Viau sectors, and increase navigation in the St. Lawrence Channel. These projects will help uphold the port's strategic position as one of the most important ports of entry into Canada.More here.
CANADA-INDIA FREE TRADE AGREEEMENT NEGOTIATIONS STATUS
Canada welcomed the conclusion of the fourth round of negotiations toward a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) that took place February 13 to 16, 2012, in New Delhi (see News Release: Deeper Canada-India Trade and Investment Ties Will Create Jobs for Hardworking Canadians and Growth for Businesses of All Sizes).
A fifth round of negotiations is scheduled to take place in April or May. CEPA negotiations remain a key priority in the Government of Canada's international trade plan and Canada will seek to conclude the CEPA in 2013.
In December 2011, Canada and India completed the third round of negotiations and progress was made in the areas of rules of origin, trade facilitation, technical barriers to trade, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, and trade in services, including temporary entry for business persons, telecommunications, and financial services. For more information on these negotiations, please see additional background information
CANADA-KOREA - FREE TRADE AGREEMENT NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE
Negotiations are taking place on a wide range of issues, including in trade in goods, rules of origin, customs procedures, trade facilitation, non-tariff measures, cross-border trade in services, financial services, temporary entry, investment, government procurement, competition, intellectual property, e-commerce, dispute settlement and institutional provisions.
In addition, consistent with past practice, Canada is pursuing environmental and labour cooperation agreements in parallel with the free trade agreement. While negotiations are progressing, the government is focused on negotiating a high quality agreement and is not working to an arbitrary deadline. More here.
PM ANNOUNCES EXPLORATORY TALKS TOWARDS A CANADA-THAILAND FREE TRADE AGREEMENT
Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Yingluck Shinawatra, Prime Minister of Thailand, on Friday announced that their two countries will pursue exploratory discussions towards a free trade agreement. The announcement was made during Prime Minister Harper's official visit to Thailand. More here.
AIRLINES GROUP WARNS OVER RISING OIL PRICES
The global aviation industry could run up losses of over $5-billion this year if oil prices spike by more than anticipated in light of the tensions building up over Iran's nuclear program, the industry's trade group said Tuesday.
The International Air Transport Association, or IATA, says it now expects earnings will likely decline to $3-billion in 2012. That's down from December's forecast of $3.5-billion, based on an expectation that oil prices will average $115 a barrel. At present, the benchmark New York rate is trading at nine-month highs around $107 a barrel. Tony Tyler, IATA's chief executive officer, said the industry's diminished profit forecast for 2012 could turn to losses of more than $5-billion if oil prices spike to $150 a barrel due to Western tensions with Iran.
CANADA NEW CBSA INTEGRATED STAMP
Effective April 1, 2012, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) will begin using a new CBSA integrated stamp. The stamp will replace legacy customs and immigration stamps previously in use. All previous versions of customs or immigration stamps will be retired and will no longer be authorised for use
CNOTICE OF PROPOSED CERTIFICATION AND SETTLEMENT OF CANADIAN AIR CARGO CLASS ACTION
Earlier last month, a statement was issued by Siskinds LLP, Camp Fiorante Matthews and Liebman Associes regarding the proposed certification and settlement of Canadian air cargo class actions.
Who This Notice Is For:
This notice applies to Persons who purchased airfreight shipping services, including those Persons who purchased Airfreight Shipping Services through freight forwarders or from any air cargo carrier, for shipments within, to, or from Canada (except shipments to or from the United States) during the period from January 1, 2000 to September 11, 2006, and have not already excluded themselves from the class actions (the "settlement class").
What This Notice Is About:
Class action lawsuits have been started in Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec alleging an unlawful conspiracy to fix prices for air cargo shipping services from January 1, 2000 to September 11, 2006 (the "Canadian Proceedings"). Settlements have been reached in the Canadian Proceedings.
The full statement can be found here Full details of the settlements are available on the Siskinds LLP website
2011 SURFACE TRADE WITH CANADA AND MEXICO ROSE 14.3% FROM 2010
Surface transportation trade between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico increased by 14.3 percent in 2011 compared to 2010, valued at $904 billion in 2011, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The 14.3 percent increase in trade was the third largest year-to-year increase for the years covered by these data. The $904 billion in U.S.-NAFTA trade was the highest amount since NAFTA went into effect in 1994. BTS reported that total North American surface transportation imports increased by 13.8 percent in 2011 from 2010, and exports increased by 14.8 percent during the same period.
U.S. land trade with Mexico declined less following the recession of 2008-2009 than did trade with Canada and it rebounded faster. U.S.-Canada land trade declined 28.1 percent in 2009 from 2008, then increased by 39.2 percent in the next two years to reach a level in 2011 that was virtually unchanged from 2008. As a result, U.S.-Mexico trade comprised 40.6 percent of North American surface freight in 2011, compared to 35.3 percent in 2008.
U.S. - Canada surface transportation trade totalled $537.0 billion in 2011, an increase of 14.0 percent compared to 2010. The value of imports carried by truck was 10.0 percent higher in 2011 than 2010 while the value of exports carried by truck was 12.4 percent higher. The value of pipeline exports increased the most, rising 87.0 percent in 2011 compared to 2010. Part of this increase is explained by a rise in the price of oil, with the average annual price for a barrel of crude oil increasing from $71.21 in 2010 to $87.04 in 2011 (Historical Crude Prices, Inflation Data.com).
Michigan led all states in surface trade with Canada in 2011 with $68.4 billion. Automotive vehicles accounted for $41.3 billion, 60.3 percent of total Michigan – Canada surface trade. Of the top 10 states for U.S.-Canada surface trade in 2011, Minnesota had the highest percentage change over 2010, a 41.6 percent increase. Oil and gas is the top commodity traded between Minnesota and Canada but 16 of 99 commodities more than doubled in the value of Minnesota – Canada surface trade between 2011 and 2010.
The top commodity category transported between the U.S. and Canada by surface modes of transportation in 2011 was vehicles and vehicle parts (other than railway vehicles and parts) with $96.1 billion in trade. This U.S.-Canada trade in vehicle and vehicle parts was roughly split evenly between exports and imports, reflecting the interdependency of automotive plants on both sides of the border
PORTS OF AUCKLAND LOCKOUT WHARFIES
The Ports of Auckland Thursday issued an official notice locking out its wharfies indefinitely, just hours before a vote to end lengthy strike action. The news follows a dramatic u-turn earlier this week by the port company to re-enter mediation with the Maritime Union of New Zealand (MUNZ) on a collective contract at the port, which would halt plans to make nearly 300 waterside workers redundant. The lockout of Auckland dockers is due to start in 14 days, with contracted workers scheduled to continue with the unloading of vessels up until the lockout notice, according to the New Zealand Herald. Union members were due to vote Thursday on whether to lift their strike notice at the port.
CNN TO ACQUIRE 161 LOCOMOTIVES TO HANDLE EXPECTED TRAFFIC INCREASES
CN announced Thursday a major locomotive acquisition program to accommodate anticipated traffic growth and to improve operational efficiency. CN will acquire 65 new high-horsepower locomotives as well as 96 second-hand high-horsepower locomotives that will be upgraded. CN will take delivery in 2013-14 of 35 new ES44AC locomotives from GE Transportation (GE), and 30 new SD70ACe locomotives from Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD). The GE units have 4,400 and the SD70ACe units 4,300 horsepower.
CN will purchase this year 42 second-hand GE Dash 8-40C locomotives, 11 leased GE Dash 8-40C locomotives, and 43 second-hand EMD SD60 locomotives. The Dash 8 units have 4,000 and the SD60s 3,800 horsepower. These direct-current technology locomotives will be upgraded to CN specifications. The new locomotives CN is purchasing are equipped with distributed power technology (DP), a GE product, which improves train handling and fuel efficiency. The company expects that 50 per cent of its high-horsepower locomotive fleet will have DP by the end of 2013.
CBSA - STEEL AND STEEL PRODUCTS - ELIMINATION OF INDIVIDUAL PERMITS
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (FAITC) announced in Canada Gazette Vol. 146, No. 6 – March 14, 2012, that the implementation of a new import permit system for steel and steel products will come into effect on April 1, 2012.
Importers of steel and steel products will no longer be required to obtain individual permits but will, instead, be provided by FAITC with general import permits (GIP) for all steel covered by the Import Control List of the Export and Import Permits Act. More information here.
U.S. CBP ACE REQUIRED FOR THE TRANSMISSION OF ADVANCE OCEAN/RAIL CARGO INFORMATION
Various U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) regulations require the transmission of advance cargo information to CBP through a CBP-approved electronic data interchange (EDI) system. CBP recently completed the testing of the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) for the transmission of advance ocean and rail cargo information.
This notice announces that, after a six month transition period, ACE will be the only CBP-approved EDI for submitting required advance information for ocean and rail cargo. More here.
CTSA NOTICE GRI EFFECTIVE MAY 1, 2012
Container shipping lines in the Canada Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (CTSA) have called for a General Rate Increase (GRI), effective May 1, 2012.
Effective May 1, 2012, member carriers in the Canada Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (CTSA) say they intend to raise Asia-Canada rates across the board by US$500 per FEU for Vancouver local and door cargo, and by US$700 per FEU for all MLB, intermodal and East Coast all-water shipments, with other equipment sizes rated per formula. The new rates will apply to all CTSA origins, including Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Please note that the aforementioned is in addition to the previously announced rate initiativese.
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