February 2019

Going to the 2019 London Book Fair?

Our annual tour of the major book trade shows begins this year with a stop at the 2019 London Book Fair, which will be held March 12-14 in London, England. Universal will be represented by Chris Barnard, Vice President – Projects & Market Development and Andrew Doick, Business Development – International.

Contact Chris or Andrew by email if you would like to arrange a meeting at the Universal booth (6B91), which we are sharing this year with our long-term UK partner, World Transport Agency.

"Every year brings something new that helps us better understand the needs and expectations of our clients," said Mr. Barnard.

U.S. delays scheduled increase in China tariffs

There will be no increase in U.S. tariffs on China imports, U.S. President Donald Trump has announced. This means the additional U.S. tariff on $200 billion of Chinese-made products will remain at 10%, pending a meeting between the national leaders at a Trump vacation property in Florida. No date has been announced. The plan was to hike the rate to 25% on March 1.

For more information, contact Brian Rowe, Director – Customs Compliance & Regulatory Affairs.

Strike mandate hangs over heavily congested Port of Montreal

Issues at the Port of Montreal continue, resulting in significant delays in the movement of cargo across this key intermodal gateway. The port is currently experiencing heavy congestion, negatively affecting operations, which has been further exacerbated by recent weather conditions.

Even bigger problems are ahead if the current labour negotiations between the port workers and the port operators fail and the union receives approval from the government to strike. The latter can only happen if a separate hearing currently in progress determines that Montreal port workers have the right to strike because their work is considered non-essential.

Hearings between the Maritime Employers Association (MEA) and the Longshormen’s Union (CUPE Local 375 in Montreal) were conducted during the first two weeks of February 2019, and are expected to continue during the months of March and April. The MEA has presented a request to maintain essential services with the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB). In view of the request to maintain essential services, the parties do not have the right to strike or lockout.

For more information, contact David Lychek, Manager – Ocean & Air Services.

Terminology Explained

Advance Commercial Information (ACI) – ACI is a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) initiative to increase cross border trade efficiencies and to improve the protection of Canadian citizens throughadvance cargo clearance and risk assessment screening. As part of CBSA’s priority to “Secure the Border Strategically”, ACI requires carriers and freight forwarders to electronically transmit cargo data from the shippers in advance of commercial cargo importations, based on time frames regulated by mode of transport.

The receipt of pre-arrival data (known as ACI filing) enables CBSA officers to more effectively manage higher-risk goods and identify threats to health, safety, and security prior to the arrival of those goods in Canada. It also allows lower risk goods a more efficient, streamlined process at the border. When ACI data does not meet the requirements, the CBSA may choose to resolve the issue with the carrier, issue a penalty or prevent the carrier from moving the goods into Canada.

Timeframes for submitting ACI information to the CBSA:

• Air: 4 hours minimum before arrival in Canada or at time of departure if the flight is less than four hours.
• Highway: 1 hour minimum before arrival at the border.
• Marine: 24 – 96 hours before vessel loading (depending on the type and origin of goods).
• Rail: 2 hours before arrival at the border.

	The founders of this mystery location could never have imagined that their future flag would include the Union Jack.

Global Spotlight Quiz

How many clues do you need to name the least populous national jurisdiction in the world?

• The least populous national jurisdiction in the world – population 56. Total number of flora and fauna: 1,249.
• The founders arrived in 1789 aboard a ship that they promptly destroyed to protect their identity.
• The language spoken is Pitkern, a creole language derived from 18-century English dialects andTahitian.
• Four volcanic islands, covering just under 50 square miles of land, make up the entire land mass. The surrounding marine reserve encompasses 834,334 square kilometres.
• The water in some places is so clear, visibility extends to a staggering 75 metres.
• An effort to attract immigrants, including free land, netted only one applicant, mainly because there are no jobs.
• One of the best places in the world to watch birds, according to Birdlife International.

Click here to see the answer

Quick Tip

Know what information is required under ACI

Under the Advance Commercial Information (ACI) initiative, the following information must be transmitted electronically to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) prior to shipment arrival:

• Shipper (company name & address)
• Consignee (company name & address)
• Delivery Location (company name & address)
• Shipment Data (bill of lading, port name, city of destination)
• Commodity Details (number of packages, weight, full description)

At Your Service: Bill Rowe, Customs Consulting Services

	Bill Rowe, Customs Consulting Services

It takes a lot of work behind the scenes by a dedicated team of logistics professionals to deliver the level of service our valued clients have come to expect.

One of these professionals is William (Bill) Rowe, who joined Universal Logistics in July 1990 at our former Mid-Continent Truck Terminal office. He subsequently worked his way through Customs Operations before becoming a member of our Customs Consulting Services team, which he joined in April 1999. Bill also expanded his professional qualifications by completing the Certified Customs Specialist (CCS) course.

Bill can be reached by phone (905) 882-4880, ext. 246 or byemail.