The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued an internal agency enforcement policy on May 20, 2025 (the Policy), outlining its approach to English language proficiency (ELP) for commercial motor vehicle...more
6/16/2025
/ Brokers ,
China ,
Commercial Truck Drivers ,
Common Carriers ,
FMCSA ,
Manufacturers ,
Motor Carriers ,
New Regulations ,
Safety Standards ,
Tariffs ,
Transportation Industry
Domestic U.S. shipping interests are closely monitoring a United States Trade Representative (USTR) proposal for import and export trades involving Chinese vessels. There is a Section 301 investigation prompted by domestic...more
6/16/2025
/ China ,
Exports ,
Maritime Transport ,
National Security ,
Section 301 ,
Shipping ,
Supply Chain ,
Tariffs ,
Trade Policy ,
US Trade Policies ,
USTR
The U.S. inland waterway system is a critical and underutilized component of the domestic supply chain that serves intrastate commerce and non-contiguous markets originating in or destined for Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S....more
6/13/2025
/ Customs and Border Protection ,
Enforcement ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) ,
Infrastructure ,
Inland Waterways ,
Interstate Commerce ,
MARAD ,
Maritime Transport ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Shipping ,
Shipping Cargo ,
Supply Chain ,
Surface Transportation ,
Surface Transportation Board ,
Tariffs ,
Transportation Industry ,
US Army Corps of Engineers
The White House has kicked off what appears to be a global trade war. The near-term net effect is the growing reality that we are entering a higher-cost operating environment for most industries. Volatility is always a...more
6/12/2025
/ Commercial Insurance Policies ,
Customs and Border Protection ,
Imports ,
Insurance Industry ,
Insurance Regulations ,
International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) ,
International Trade ,
Multinationals ,
Risk Management ,
Supply Chain ,
Tariffs ,
Trade Wars ,
Underwriting ,
United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) ,
US Trade Policies
Newly proposed tariffs and restrictions on China’s maritime, logistics, and shipbuilding practices were issued on April 17, 2025. The United States Trade Representative’s (“USTR”) Section 301 investigation found China holds...more
5/14/2025
/ China ,
Comment Period ,
Imports ,
Maritime Transport ,
Section 301 ,
Shipping ,
Supply Chain ,
Tariffs ,
Trade Policy ,
USTR ,
Vessels
Domestic U.S. shipping interests are closely monitoring a United States Trade Representative (“USTR”) proposal for import and export trades involving Chinese vessels. The proposal’s extraordinary service fees and restrictions...more
3/18/2025
/ China ,
Comment Period ,
Economic Sanctions ,
Exports ,
Fees ,
Imports ,
International Trade ,
Maritime Transport ,
National Security ,
NVOCCs ,
Section 301 ,
Shipping ,
Shipping Cargo ,
Supply Chain ,
Tariffs ,
USTR ,
Vessels
Courts have clearly established that a shipper cannot prevail in a freight claim against a carrier if an “Act of God” caused the freight loss or damage. The Act of God defense is an original, and one of the most...more
The Federal Maritime Commission (“FMC”) issued a Final Rule in FMC Docket No. 21-03 amending its Carrier Automated Tariffs regulations under 46 CFR Part 520, effective on February 1, 2024. (89 FR 25). The amendments aim to...more
Beneficial cargo owners have faced well-reported challenges in recent bid seasons. Two plus years of global pandemic unleashed supply and capacity interruption, carrier lane divergence, and an explosion in rates as well as...more
6/16/2022
/ Common Carriers ,
Drug & Alcohol Abuse ,
Insurance Claims ,
Manufacturers ,
NHTSA ,
Section 301 ,
Shipping ,
Shipping Cargo ,
Supply Chain ,
Tariffs ,
Transportation Industry ,
USTR