The Shift Is On -

In baseball, putting on the shift means concentrating your defense on one side of the field where the current batter likes to hit. It is easy to tell when ‘The Shift’ is on because the defensive players are squeezed into a smaller-than-normal section of the field, and large parts of the field are wide open. In shipping, The Shift is when everyone tries to move their goods through a port ANYWHERE but the west coast because ILWU contract negotiations are about to get started, and no one wants their merchandise held hostage in the process. Port backlogs continue to grow around the country although there does not seem to be the traditional harsh rhetoric from either side before contract negotiations begin.

COVID-19 lockdowns at ports in China, especially Shanghai, are helping to keep the backlog on this side of the Pacific lower than they might otherwise be now.

The U.S. economy shrank 1.4% in the first three months of 2022, with prices rising quickly for food, energy and other essentials. Despite these threats and escalating interest rates, economists foresee a return to growth for the rest of 2022 based on undiminished job market strength and consumer spending.

Top Story: All Quiet On The Western Front

Tech Tip: Where Are the ISFs Going?

Are you using the ACE portal to file your ISFs? If so, you’ll need to buy third party software or enlist a trade partner to file for you after June 6th.

CBP announced in CSMS #51726538 - ISF Portal Retirement that the ISF portal within ACE will be retired. Importers that were using the portal to self-file Import Security Filings (ISFs) will no longer be able to do so and must have an alternative means of filing.

While the number of U.S. importers using the portal to file ISFs is small, a larger number are using the portal to run reports on the status and timeliness of ISFs filed by service providers. This too, was part of the ISF portal within ACE. Those reports, however, have already been transitioned to ACE (see CSMS #51573620 - Deployment of ISF Reports in ACE Reports on Thursday, April 14, 2022). In fact, the reports in ACE are more flexible than the monthly published reports in the ISF portal, with on-demand access and custom date range capabilities.

If you have questions about ISF filings, please email us at Info@iscm.co.

Will Rebuilding Ukraine Be Good For U.S. Trade?

ITC Investigation of FTZs Heats Up

First Hearing Held For Forced Labor Prevention Act Enforcement

. . . Just Don’t Call It a Free Trade Agreement

Finally Forward

FTZ Staff Activity

FTZ Board Staff processed a Minor Boundary Modification (S-44-2022) in FTZ 54A on behalf of W Schonbek LLC, in Plattsburgh, NY, on April 6, 2022
FTZ Board Staff processed a Minor Boundary Modification (S-45-2022) in FTZ 64E on behalf of Bacardi U.S.A., Inc., in Jacksonville, FL, on April 5, 2022
FTZ Board Staff processed a Minor Boundary Modification (S-46-2022) in FTZ 94 on behalf of Unimex Trade & Logistics LLC, in Laredo, TX, on April 4, 2022
FTZ Board Staff processed a Minor Boundary Modification (S-47-2022) in FTZ 75P on behalf of LCY Electronic Materials Inc., in Phoenix, AZ, on April 5, 2022
FTZ Board Staff processed a Minor Boundary Modification (S-48-2022) in FTZ 75Q on behalf of Chang Chun (Arizona) LLC, in Casa Grande, AZ, on April 5, 2022
FTZ Board Staff processed a Minor Boundary Modification (S-49-2022) in FTZ 75 on behalf of Sunlit Arizona LLC, in Phoenix, AZ, on April 5, 2022
FTZ Board Staff processed a Minor Boundary Modification (S-50-2022) in FTZ 64J on behalf of Seaonus Stevedoring Talleyrand, LLC, in Jacksonville, FL, on April 6, 2022
FTZ Board Staff processed a Minor Boundary Modification (S-51-2022) in FTZ 46K on behalf of Patheon Pharmaceuticals Inc., in Cincinnati, OH, on April 5, 2022
FTZ Board Staff processed a Subzone (S-52-2022) in FTZ 84 on behalf of Coreworks Heat Exchangers, LLC, in Waller, TX
FTZ Board Staff processed a Minor Boundary Modification (S-53-2022) in FTZ 21 on behalf of Absolute Haitian Corporation, in Moncks Corner, SC, on April 7, 2022
FTZ Board Staff processed a Minor Boundary Modification (S-54-2022) in FTZ 18H on behalf of RK Logistics Group, in Fremont, CA, on April 6, 2022
FTZ Board Staff processed a Minor Boundary Modification (S-55-2022) in FTZ 49D on behalf of Merck & Co., Inc., in Rahway, NJ, on April 11, 2022
FTZ Board Staff processed a Minor Boundary Modification (S-56-2022) in FTZ 104K on behalf of Anatolia Tile & Stone (USA) Inc., in Port Wentworth, GA, on April 12, 2022
FTZ Board Staff processed a Minor Boundary Modification (S-57-2022) in FTZ 94 on behalf of Specialized Customs Services, in Laredo, TX, on April 12, 2022
FTZ Board Staff processed a Termination (S-58-2022) in FTZ 281F on behalf of Customs and Trade Services, Inc., in Miami, FL, on April 12, 2022
FTZ Board Staff processed a Termination (S-59-2022) in FTZ 281 on behalf of Genera LLC, in Miami, FL, on April 13, 2022
FTZ Board Staff processed a Minor Boundary Modification (S-60-2022) in FTZ 255 on behalf of Lakeside Corporate Center, in Cascade, MD, on April 14, 2022
FTZ Board Staff processed a Minor Boundary Modification (S-61-2022) in FTZ 281 on behalf of DSV Air & Sea, Inc., in Medley, FL, on April 14, 2022
FTZ Board Staff processed a Minor Boundary Modification (S-62-2022) in FTZ 115 on behalf of Port of Beaumont Navigation District, in Beaumont, TX, on April 15, 2022
FTZ Board Staff processed a Minor Boundary Modification (S-63-2022) in FTZ 59A on behalf of Kawasaki Motors Mfg. Corp., in Lincoln, NE, on April 18, 2022
FTZ Board Staff processed a Minor Boundary Modification (S-64-2022) in FTZ 1E on behalf of Jos. H. Lowenstein & Son’s, Inc., in Brooklyn, NY, on April 18, 2022
FTZ Board Staff processed a Minor Boundary Modification (S-65-2022) in FTZ 15J on behalf of MRIGlobal, in Kansas City, MO, on April 18, 2022
FTZ Board Staff processed a Minor Boundary Modification (S-66-2022) in FTZ 94 on behalf of Crane Worldwide Logistics LLC, in Laredo, TX, on April 19, 2022
FTZ Board Staff processed a Minor Boundary Modification (S-67-2022) in FTZ 283 on behalf of Mountain Horse Solutions, in Union City, TN, on April 19, 2022
FTZ Board Staff processed a Minor Boundary Modification (S-68-2022) in FTZ 119O on behalf of TK Trading Company, Inc., dba Storm Creek, in Eagen, MN, on April 19, 2022
FTZ Board Staff processed a Minor Boundary Modification (S-69-2022) in FTZ 32 on behalf of Longo Customs Services Miami Corp., in Hialeah, FL, on April 20, 2022
FTZ Board Staff processed a Minor Boundary Modification (S-70-2022) in FTZ 32 on behalf of General Power Limited Inc., in Miami, FL, on April 20, 2022

FTZ Board Activity

Patheon API, Inc. submitted an application for subzone status for its facility within FTZ 21 in Florence, South Carolina. MORE
All Ways Pacific LLC received approval to operate its facility as Subzone 44O within FTZ 44 in Dayton, New Jersey. MORE
CooperVision Manufacturing PR LLC received authorization of production activity for disposable contact lenses within FTZ 7 in Juana Diaz, Puerto Rico. MORE
González Trading, LLC submitted an application for subzone status for its facility within FTZ 61 in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico. MORE
CoLinx, LLC submitted a notification of proposed production activity for spherical roller bearing kits within FTZ 148 in Crossville, Tennessee. MORE
LCY Electronic Materials Inc. received authorization of production activity for specialty chemicals for microchip production within FTZ 75 in Casa Grande, Arizona. MORE
Chang Chun (Arizona) LLC received authorization of production activity for specialty chemicals for microchip production within FTZ 75 in Casa Grande, Arizona. MORE
Swafford Warehousing, Inc. submitted a notification of proposed production activity for medical kits within FTZ 38 in Greer, South Carolina. MORE
CGT U.S., Ltd. received authorization of production activity for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) coated upholstery fabric cover stock production within FTZ 80 in New Braunfels, Texas. MORE
Coreworks Heat Exchangers, LLC submitted an application for subzone status for its facility within FTZ 84 in Waller, Texas. MORE
AIAC International Pharma, LLC submitted a notification of proposed production activity for pharmaceutical products within FTZ 61 in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. MORE
Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, LLC received authorization of production activity for mRNA bulk drug substance within FTZ 27 in Andover, Massachusetts. MORE
Kaiser Premier LLC received approval to operate its facility as Subzone 123J within FTZ 123 in Fort Morgan, Colorado. MORE
DB Research Group, LLC submitted an application for subzone status for its facility within FTZ 61 in Caguas, Puerto Rico. MORE

May 3, 2022

FTZ’ine May 2022

The Shift Is On – In baseball putting on the shift means concentrating your defense on one side of the field where the current batter likes to hit. It is easy to tell when ‘The Shift’ is on because the defensive players are squeezed into a smaller-than-normal section of the field, and large parts of the field are wide open. […]

June 1, 2022

FTZ’ine June 2022

Summer Heat Is Here – The FTZ’ine staff hopes everyone enjoyed a well-deserved Memorial Day break. That unofficial start to summer has brought heat, literally and figuratively, to your Nation’s Capital. There are signs that the US economy is slowing quickly. Major retailers including Target and Walmart just reported weaker-than-expected first quarter sales and earnings. Wall Street has struggled to […]

June 30, 2022

FTZ’ine July 2022

Breathe In, Breathe Out, Breathe In . . . International traders are breathing easier now that the new list of Chinese companies with import bans has been published . . . and looks a lot like the old list. That helped smooth the June implementation of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), and eased the breathing patterns of US […]

August 2, 2022

FTZ’ine August 2022

The Race To Recess – The Senate goes on summer vacation beginning this coming Monday, August 8th, until Labor Day. They have been trying to get all their work done before then, and have actually had some surprising successes. No Toto, there is still no federal budget, but Congress did agree on an incentive plan to try and bring supply […]

September 1, 2022

FTZ’ine September 2022

What I Did This Summer Well that was fast. With the Labor Day holiday just days away your Nation’s Capitol can now look back at its accomplishments and disappointments of hot, dry Summer 2022. There were legislative successes. First, Congress passed the CHIPS and Science Act to stimulate the reshoring of semiconductor manufacturing in the United States. Then, seemingly out […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]