Amoy Line

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U.S. Rail Operation Hours - Thanksgiving Holiday

2009-11-20T16:01:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving Day is a major US Holiday and all MSC-USA offices and Amoy International will be closed.

Train service will continue to operate throughout the long Holiday weekend; however, delays of 24-48 hours are anticipated as the railroads will attempt to minimize and curtail network operations so that the railroad crews may observe Thanksgiving with their families.

CSX and BNSF railroads consider both Thursday and Friday as Holidays–these two days will count as additional free days at the destination ramps (only if they fall within the scheduled free time period). Normal storage charges will apply if the free time expires prior to or on Wednesday, November 25th.

Export rail Cut-offs should be reviewed and adjusted based on the anticipated 48 hour delays and ramp closures.

Truck capacity may be somewhat limited due to the short work week and 48 hours notice may be required prior to dispatch!

Please see below for the listing of the US rail ramps along with the hours of operation for the Thanksgiving Holiday.
Please note that some ramps are open throughout, while others may be closed entirely during this period. It is important that our clients are informed to retrieve their cargo within the normal free time period or they risk paying storage charges even though the ramps may be closed.

If you have any questions regarding the above information or holiday freight release schedules,
please contact our office at (626) 855-3077. We appreciate your time and attention.

Thank you & Happy Thanksgiving!

US rail ramps Listings: /Thanksgiving%20Rail%20Operations%202009.pdf

Amoy Line 2009 Holiday Schedule

2009-11-17T15:54:00.000-08:00

It's that time of the year again! Here's our Holiday Schedule for 2009!

Thanksgiving
Thursday, November 26th: Closed
Friday, November 27th: 8:00am to 1:00pm

Christmas
Thursday, December 24th: 8:00am to 1:00pm
Friday, December 25th: Closed

New Year's
Thursday, December 31st: 8:00am to 1:00pm
Friday, January 1st 2010: Closed

Our Holiday Shipment Release Schedule is as follow:

1) Thanksgiving
PAYMENT/OBL/RELEASE ORDER RECEIVED BY 2:00PM (PST) CUTOFF ON:
WEDNESDAY, NOV 25^TH

SHIPMENT RELEASE DATE:
FRIDAY, NOV 27^TH

a. All payment/documents received after 2:00PM on 11-25-2009 will be released on 11-30-2009.

b. All payment/documents received ON OR BEFORE 11-24-2009, will be released on time as scheduled.

2) Christmas
PAYMENT/OBL/RELEASE ORDER RECEIVED BY 12:30PM (PST) CUTOFF ON:
THURSDAY, DEC 24^TH

SHIPMENT RELEASE DATE:
MONDAY, DEC 28^TH

a. All payment/documents received after 12:30PM on 12-24-2009 will be released on 12-29-2009.

b. All payment/documents received ON OR BEFORE 12-23-2009, will be released on time as scheduled.

3) New Year's
PAYMENT/OBL/RELEASE ORDER RECEIVED BY 12:30PM (PST) CUTOFF ON:
THURSDAY, DEC 31^ST

SHIPMENT RELEASE DATE:
MONDAY, JAN 4^TH

a. All payment/documents received after 12:30PM on 12-31-2009 will be released on 1-5-2010.

b. All payment/documents received ON OR BEFORE 12-30-2009 will be released on time as scheduled.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Amoy!

Export: SSN Elimination Update

2009-10-19T16:04:00.000-07:00

Per the Foreign Trade Regulations (FTR) Social Security Numbers (SSN) will not be accepted as a valid USPPI (exporter) ID as of December 3, 2009. Any Authorized Agent that files on behalf of customers using an SSN as the USPPI ID need to notify their customers that they need to obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN). USPPIs can obtain an EIN by visiting
www.irs.gov/businesses/small and selecting "Employer ID Numbers (EIN)".

Once USPPIs obtain their EIN, they must provide the ID to their Authorized Agent.

FAQ about USPPI:
Q: Who is the U.S. Principal Party in Interest (USPPI)?

A: The person in the United States that receives the primary benefit monetary or otherwise of the export transaction.

Q: Who can be the USPPI?

A: Generally, the USPPI can be:

* U.S. Seller (wholesaler/distributor) of the merchandise for export.
* U.S. Manufacturer if selling the merchandise for export.
* U.S. Order Party - Party who directly negotiated between the U.S. seller and foreign buyer and received the order for the export of the merchandise.
* Foreign Entity if in the U.S. when items are purchased or obtained for export.

Q: Who cannot be the USPPI?

A: The forwarding agent or the consolidator cannot be listed as the U.S. Principal Party in Interest on the AES record.

Source: AESDirect

Late Penalties for CBP’s ISF

2009-05-05T13:38:00.000-07:00

CBP’s Importer Security Filing “10+2” rule was implemented on January 26, 2009, and has been in effect over the three months. Many businesses have been getting firsthand experience with the new tasks and procedures associated with the new ruling.

This week, CBP defined details about the penalties that are associated with filing your ISFs incomplete or failing to file on time. It has been established that there will be a $5,000 fine per violation. However what was not clear is that penalties can occur per transmission; not simply per the final ISF. This revelation shows that the fines and penalties are capable of going well beyond $5,000, depending on the circumstances.

There is no time to wait! Filing is underway, and if you haven’t started, you are in serious jeopardy of falling behind, and may wind up paying thousands in fines to CBP before you catch up!

For those businesses that have yet to begin, or are having an excruciating time trying to file and comply with the rule, Vilden Associates has the answer.

Accessible from anywhere in the world via the Internet, Vilden’s e-ISF is fast, reliable, user friendly, and unquestionably the best direct filing service available at any price. Importer filings can be easily uploaded from your system to Vilden’s data centers and to CBP electronically, eliminating the need to re-enter data.

Source: Vilden Associates, Inc.

BNSF and CSX Enhance Container Service to the Southeast

2009-04-01T15:18:00.000-07:00

The nation's two largest railroad companies, BNSF Railway Company and CSX Intermodal recently expanded their current intermodal container service to include several new locations in the Southeast.

BNSF and CSXI will now serve Charleston, S.C.; Savannah, Ga.; and Miami, Orlando and Tampa, Fla., in addition to current eastern hubs at Atlanta, Ga.; Jacksonville, Fla.; and Charlotte, N.C.

"BNSF and CSX expanded their original program because it proved to be very successful for both us and shippers," said Steve Branscum, group vice president, Consumer Products. "Our combined service is competitive with highway carriers, saves shippers money and reduces fuel consumption for moving freight. From our new and existing hubs, goods can easily move to destinations throughout the Southeast."

This expanded service builds upon a 2006 agreement between BNSF and CSXI to provide improved service to customers for shipments between the West Coast, Atlanta and other Southeast destinations.

Sources from: StreetInsider.com

CLEAN TRUCK FEE COLLECTION STARTS TODAY, FEB. 18

2009-02-18T08:00:00.000-08:00

Today, Feb. 18, 2009 PortCheck will begin the collection of the Ports’ Clean Truck Fee (CTF) at marine container terminals at the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. All cargo, including intermodal cargo, must be claimed through starting PortCheck on Feb. 18.

Non-exempt cargo will not be allowed to enter or exit from a marine container terminal unless the cargo has been claimed by a credit account or the CTF paid through PortCheck. Under the Ports’ program, the cargo owner (the party named on the ocean bill of lading or their legal representative) is responsible for paying the CTF. All cargo must be claimed before the CTF can be paid.

The CTF was established by the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles to pay for implementation of the Clean Trucks Program (CTP). Cargo owners are required to pay a CTF for cargo moved by trucks that do not meet the requirements of the CTP. Cargo contained in a 20-foot container will be subject to a $35 CTF. Cargo moved in containers larger than 20 feet will be required to pay a $70 CTF.

Customers can visit www.pierpass-tmf.org to learn more about PortCheck, the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles Clean Truck Fee (CTF), and how to pay fee and claim cargo through PortCheck, as well as access frequently asked questions.

An archived webinar that explains how to use the PortCheck website, claim cargo, pay the CTF and other important elements of the program is available at https://portcheck.webex.com.

Customers can speak with a customer service representative for help with PortCheck-related issues by calling 1-877-863-3310. PortCheck customer service representatives can help callers with only PortCheck-related questions or concerns. They can not assist with issues related to the ports’ Clean Trucks Program, grants or leases for new trucks, port concessions, day passes or the drayage truck registry. Customers with questions about these topics should call
the Clean Trucks Help Line at 866-721-5686.

Customers can submit inquiries PortCheck customer service center by sending
an email to questions@portcheck.org.

For more information on PortCheck, please visit www.pierpass-tmf.org.

For more Information on the Clean Trucks Program of the Ports of Long Beach
and Los Angeles, please visit the ports’ web sites,
www.portoflosangeles.org/cleantrucks and www.polb.com/cleantrucks.

PortCheck Inc. Customer Service
1-877-863-3310 (inside the United States)
1-801-559-8078 (outside the United States)

Sources from: PierPass-tmf.org

Clean Trucks Program begins on February 18th, 2009

2009-01-29T10:35:00.000-08:00

The Port of Long Beach and Los Angeles will begin to collect Clean Truck Fee starting Feb. 18.
This program will provide necessary fundings for greener trucks.
This is a follow-up of our previous post about the Clean Trucks Program and you may read our initial post here.

To claim the Clean Truck Fee for your container, you may visit http://www.portcheck.org or http://pierpass-tmf.org. If you are already registered in PierPass offpeak terminal access program, the system will automaticcaly upload PortCheck information into your account and you will be able to claim your containers upon accepting the terms and conditions of PortCheck.

For more information about Clean Trucks Program, please visit Port of Long Beach website.

Sources: Port of Long Beach

Interesting Facts from CBP

2009-01-23T16:28:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder how the cargo flows securely to the U.S.?

Consider the following actions taken by CBP which helps them determine the security level for every shipment coming in to the United States.

IN THE U.S.

More than 11 million cargo containers arrive on ships and are offloaded at U.S. Seaports each year.
CBP uses risk-based analysis and intelligence to pre-screen, assess, and examine 100% of suspicious containers.
Remaining cargo is cleared for entry to the U.S. using advanced inspection technology.

OVERSEAS

Shipping Companies are required, 24 hours in advance, to provide manifest data for all cargo containers destined for the U.S.
100% of this data is then transmitted to the U.S. National Targeting Center Cargo for screening to identify high-risk cargo.
Under the Container Security Initiative, CBP partners with foreign customs authorities to examine all U.S.-bound high-risk cargo while it is still at foreign ports.

For more information on what CBP is doing to secure our entry ports, please visit their website at: http://cbp.gov

Happy Chinese New year

2009-01-22T14:02:00.000-08:00

From All of Us at Amoy Line

Happy Chinese Near Year
of the Ox

Amoy Line Holiday Schedule

2008-12-09T11:56:00.000-08:00

Our Office Hours for 2008 Holidays are as follow:

Christmas
December 24th: 8:00AM - 1:00PM
December 25th: CLOSED

New Year's
December 31st: 8:00AM - 1:00PM
January 1st: CLOSED

Our Holiday Shipment Release Schedule is as follow:

PAYMENT/OBL/RELEASE ORDER RECEIVED BY 12:30PM (PST) CUTOFF ON:
WEDNESDAY, DEC 24^THSHIPMENT RELEASE DATE:
FRIDAY, DEC 26^TH

a. All payment/documents received after 12:30PM on 12-24-2008 will be released on 12-29-2008.
b. All payment/documents received ON OR BEFORE 12-23-2008, will be released on time as scheduled.

PAYMENT/OBL/RELEASE ORDER RECEIVED BY 12:30PM (PST) CUTOFF ON:
WEDNESDAY, DEC 31^ST
SHIPMENT RELEASE DATE:
FRIDAY, JAN 2^ND

a. All payment/documents received after 12:30PM on 12-31-2008 will be released on 1-5-2009.
b. All payment/documents received ON OR BEFORE 12-30-2008 will be released on time as scheduled.

For more information about our Holiday Schedule, please contact us any time.

Happy Holidays from Amoy Line!

The Opportunity of 10+2

2008-12-05T11:22:00.000-08:00

This is an outine and an overall look into the new Rule and its impact on Trade Industry.
http://tradetech.net/html/10+2_White_Paper.pdf

*You need 'Adobe Acrobat Reader' to view the attached documents.
If you have not already installed 'Adobe Acrobat Reader', please download from http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html

Source from: Trade Tech, Inc

Clean Truck Fee Collection Delayed Pending Resolution of Regulatory Issues

2008-11-14T11:58:00.000-08:00

LONG BEACH, Calif., Nov. 13, 2008 – Collection of the Clean Truck Fee (CTF) assessed by the Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach, which was to have begun on Nov. 17, will be delayed pending resolution of outstanding regulatory issues. An agreement filing relating to the ports’ arrangement with PortCheck is still pending with the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), and the fee collection will be delayed while issues relating to that filing are resolved.

“The terminal operators and ports continue to work with the FMC to resolve remaining questions about the program,” said Bruce Wargo, president and CEO of PortCheck. “We hope to resolve the issues as quickly as possible.” PortCheck Inc. is the not-for-profit company created by marine terminal operators to collect the Clean Trucks Program tariff fees and administer a ban on older trucks as required by the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

In the meantime, technical preparations for the fee collection continue. The new start date for fee collection is not yet clear, but PortCheck strongly urges cargo owners to complete preparations for claiming cargo online and paying the CTF. Prior to the availability of the official PortCheck website, PortCheck urges cargo owners that are not registered with PierPASS to register on the PierPASS site at www.pierpass-tmf.org. “We appreciate the level of cooperation from cargo owners in preparing for this new program,” Mr. Wargo said.

Once fee collection begins, non-exempt cargo will not be allowed to enter or exit from a marine container terminal unless the cargo has been claimed by a credit account or the CTF paid. Under the ports’ program, the cargo owner (the party named on the ocean bill of lading or their legal representative) is responsible for paying the CTF. All cargo must be claimed before the CTF can be paid.

(Source from: www.portcheck.org)

CBP "10+2 Rule" to become effective from January 2009

2008-11-01T11:45:00.000-07:00

The "10+2" Security Filing proposed by CBP earlier this year will become effective from January 2009. The proposed regulation is intended to satisfy provisions outlined in the Security and Accountability for Every Port Act of 2006, which require the submission of additional data elements for improved high-risk targeting.

More infomation below:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has published on January 2, 2008 a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) requiring importers and carriers to electronically submit additional information on cargo before it is brought into the United States by vessel. The Security Filing, also known as “10+2,” is another step in the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) strategy to better assess and identify high-risk shipments to prevent terrorist weapons and materials from entering the United States. ( Importer Security Filing and Additional Carrier Requirements )
( Importer Security Filing and Additional Carrier Requirements; Correction )

“The Security Filing will improve CBP’s ability to target high-risk cargo by identifying actual cargo movements and improving the accuracy of cargo descriptions,” said CBP Commissioner W. Ralph Basham. “It will also improve our ability to facilitate lawful international trade by identifying low-risk shipments much earlier in the supply chain.”

This initiative strengthens cargo security by making CBP screening more efficient and effective. CBP has implemented a comprehensive, multi-layered cargo security strategy designed to enhance national security while protecting the economic vitality of the United States. These efforts include the 24-hour Manifest Rule, Container Security Initiative, Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism, Non-Intrusive Inspection Techniques, Automated Targeting System, the Secure Freight Initiative, and the National Targeting Center.

The proposed regulation will require carriers to submit “10+2” additional pieces of information in order to enhance the security of the maritime environment. The additional information includes: (1) a vessel stow plan used to transmit information about the physical location of cargo loaded aboard a vessel bound for the U.S; and (2) container status messages, which report container movements and changes in status (e.g., empty or full).

In addition, the NPRM also requires importers to submit an “Importer Security Filing” containing the following 10 data elements:

Manufacturer (or supplier) name and address
Seller (or owner) name and address
Buyer (or owner) name and address
Ship-to name and address
Container stuffing location
Consolidator (stuffer) name and address
Importer of record number/foreign trade zone applicant identification number
Consignee number(s)
Country of origin, and
Commodity Harmonized Tariff Schedule number

Currently, CBP relies primarily on carrier manifest information to perform advance targeting prior to vessel loading. Internal and external reviews have concluded that more complete advance shipment data would produce more accurate and effective cargo risk assessments. This way resources can be focused on true threats and legitimate cargo can speed through the system as quickly as possible.

The proposed regulation is intended to satisfy provisions outlined in the Security and Accountability for Every Port Act of 2006, which require the submission of additional data elements for improved high-risk targeting.

The NPRM will soon be published in the Federal Register. Persons wishing to comment on the proposed rule may access the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal at the Regulations.gov website and follow the instructions for submitting comments to docket number USCBP-2007-0077. ( Regulations.gov )

For more information on Secure Filing "10+2", please visit CBP Security Filing page here.

Clean Trucks Program

2008-09-30T10:42:00.000-07:00

The ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles have launched a Clean Trucks Program that will reduce air pollution from harbor trucks by more than 80 percent by year 2012.

The Clean Trucks Program is outlined in the Clean Air Action Plan, and will be administered jointly by the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. Diesel-powered harbor trucks are a major source of air pollution. The Clean Trucks Program calls for drayage truck owners to scrap and replace about 16,000 polluting trucks working at the ports, with the assistance of a port-sponsored grant or loan subsidy.

Beginning October 1, 2008, pre-1989 trucks will be banned. The program progressively bans all trucks that don't meet 2007 emission standards by 2012. To finance the $2 billion truck replacement program, the ports will levy on loaded containers ($35 per loaded twenty-foot equivalent unit) also beginning October 1, 2008. (Beginning January 2009, the ports will also collect a separate, $15 per TEU cargo fee to finance $1.4 billion in roadway, rail and bridge projects.)

For more information about the Port of Long Beach's Clean Trucks Program, click here. For more information about the Port of Los Angeles' Clean Truck Program, click here.

(Information from: Clean Air Action Plan)