Andrew Lydon, Author at FTZ Expertise

June 29, 2023

FTZ’ine July 2023

Done Deal: FTZ users and operators cheered the news last month of a tentative contract between the ILWU and PMA to cover U.S. West Coast port workers. Ratification by the membership is still required, and is expected in late July. A yes vote, combined with other global events, will start to reorient supply chains as west coast unloading becomes a […]

May 2, 2023

FTZ’ine May 2023

Mixed Signals For FTZs The month of April was a mixture of good and not-as-good news for international traders. The ILWU announced that they reached agreement on more key issues with the PMA, which is an improvement over the work stoppages we reported to you in April’s FTZ’ine. No west coast contract yet though. U.S. Customs had dramatic attendance at […]

April 4, 2023

FTZ’ine April 2023

Food Fight – Well we know for sure the PMA and ILWU are discussing the west coast labor contract. Because now they are fighting. ILWU Local 13 workers have shut down terminal operations in LA/LB during lunch and dinner breaks. Terminal operators want to stagger breaks so pickups and drop-offs can continue during meals. The lack of a contract makes […]

March 1, 2023

FTZ’ine March 2023

It is Balloooon! Not since the days of Fort Courage has a quasi-celestial object so entranced your nation’s capital. That first balloon was perhaps a fitting symbol of the wind-whipped drift of U.S.-China relations during the month. Good news from our mates across the pond. Leadership of the United Kingdom and the European Union announced an agreement on a new […]

January 31, 2023

FTZ’ine February 2023

Still Working The Brakes – The Federal Reserve is expected to raise interest rates again today, reflecting the continued strength of the U.S. economy. Inflation is down from its peak last year, but the Fed wants additional reductions in the pace of consumer price increases. U.S. chickens have so far been unruffled by any federal action to pen in price […]

January 3, 2023

FTZ’ine January 2023

End Of Eras – We hope all our readers enjoyed a safe and enjoyable holiday with family and friends. Just before we left for a much needed break, Congress passed a massive $1.7T omnibus spending bill to fund the military and government through Sept. 30th, the end of the government fiscal year. The bill includes pay raises for service members […]

December 1, 2022

FTZ’ine December 2022

Next The revolving door at the top of U.S. Customs and Border Protection was spinning again last month as Chris Magnus was pressured to resign as Commissioner. While administration concerns with Magnus centered on Border Control, it leaves U.S. trade policy enforcement without a leader once again. Still no word on an ILWU contract as west coast container volume continues […]

November 1, 2022

FTZ’ine November 2022

Click That Lever: Baseball season is now officially over, as far as the Yankee fans at the FTZ’ine are concerned. For reasons that are not apparent here in DC, two teams are still playing anyway. What is clear is that election season is in full swing, with Election Day 2022 just one week from today. Tight, meaningful races abound this […]

October 4, 2022

FTZ’ine October 2022

The “R” Word It’s back. Despite strong employment numbers, talk of a global and US recession is getting louder. How fast our economy might slow is confusing the stock market, leading to wild swings but a decidedly downward direction for the year. Global investors seeking a safe haven are buying US dollars. That makes it a great time to visit […]