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Miscellaneous International Trade Notices

American Shipper reports that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) General Counsel Joe Whitley has resigned, with no departure date announced. The article states that the General Counsel's departure continues the high turnover among top officials at DHS since November 2004. (ShippersNewsWire@americanshipper.com , dated 03/23/05)

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1. Another Top Official at DHS Resigns

2. Air Cargo Industry Working with TSA and CBP on Step Beyond Current "Known Shipper" Program

The Journal of Commerce is reporting that the air cargo industry is working with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to develop the "freight assessment system" for air cargo screening. The freight assessment system, called the step beyond the current "known shipper" program, will use risk-management criteria to screen air shipments. The article states that officials hope to have a pilot program under way at the end of 2005. (JoC, dated 03/28/05, www.joc.com.)

3. U.S., U.K. and Canada to Conduct Counterterrorism Exercise in April 2005

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a press release announcing that in April 2005 the U.S., United Kingdom, and Canada will cooperate in the conduct of TOPOFF3, a Congressionally-mandated counterterrorism exercise for top officials in April 2005. According to the press release, terrorist attack scenarios will be staged in Connecticut and New Jersey, with additional activities occurring within the United Kingdom (called Atlantic Blue) and Canada (called Triple Play). (DHS press release, dated 03/17/05, available at http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/display?content=4393.)

4. CBSA Issues Fact Sheet on CANPASS Air Traveler Clearance Program

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has issued a fact sheet that offers details of the CANPASS Air Program. This program is intended to facilitate efficient and secure entry into Canada for pre-approved, low-risk air travelers who would clear customs and immigration by looking into a camera that recognizes the iris as proof of identity. The fact sheet contains eligibility criteria for individuals interested in participating in CANPASS. (Fact sheet dated January 2005, available at http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/newsroom/factsheets/2005/0125canpass-e.html)

5. GAO Issues Report on FDA's Management of Mad Cow-Related Feed Ban

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a report entitled Mad Cow Disease: FDA's Management of the Feed Ban Has Improved, but Oversight Weaknesses Continue to Limit Program Effectiveness. The report (GAO-05-101) is available at http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-05-101 and highlights are available at http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d05101high.pdf.

6. OFAC Final Rule on Unpaid Civil Penalties Regarding Iran, Libya, and Iraq

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has issued a final rule, effective March 29, 2005, in order to revise the Iranian Assets Control Regulations, Libyan Sanctions Regulations, and Iraqi Sanctions Regulations (31 CFR Parts 535, 550 and 575, respectively) to reaffirm that administrative collection of unpaid civil penalties imposed by OFAC is authorized in addition to judicial means of collection. (FR Pub 03/29/05, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-6092.pdf)

7. DOT Open Meetings on Minimum Standards for Driver's Licenses, Etc.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) has announced that the Negotiated Rulemaking Advisory Committee on Minimum Standards for Driver's Licenses and Personal Identification Cards will hold open meetings in Washington, DC on various dates in April-July 2005. According to DOT, this committee has been established in order to develop recommendations for certain minimum standards to tighten the security for driver's licenses and personal identification cards issued by states. (D/N OST-2005-20434, FR Pub 03/29/05, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-6167.pdf)

8. Foreign-Trade Zones Board Actions

The Foreign-Trade Zones Board (FTZB) has issued the following notices of recent FTZB actions:

FTZ applicant/granteeCompany or action
Port Authority of New York & New JerseyTermination of subzone status for Subzone 49A at the Ford Motor Company plant in Edison, NJ
Dane County, WIApplication to establish a general-purpose FTZ at sites in Dane County, WI
Port Everglades Department of Broward County, FL (FTZ 25)Approval of application to expand

FTZB notices (FR Pub 03/07/05, 03/24/05 and 03/29/05) available under the appropriate date, then under 'Foreign Trade Zones Board' at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/frcont05.html

9. FMC Revokes OTI Licenses

The FMC has revoked the following ocean transportation intermediary (OTI) licenses, effective on the corresponding dates shown below:

License CompanyDate Revoked
004586FAll Continental Group, Inc.02/24/05
017226FAll Dimensions, Inc02/04/05
003402FCustoms Services International, Inc.03/09/05
017663NData Cargo Co., Inc. dba Data Cargo International02/12/05
004385FElliot C. Penalosa dba EP International Shipping03/17/05
015829NFFidelity Shipping, Inc.03/09/05
018100FOverseas Shipping, Inc.02/10/05
018196NPMJ International Inc.03/17/05
017436NScorpion Express Line Corp.03/05/05
016236NTarget Shipping Co., Inc.03/05/05
018638NFWorld Wide Relocation, Inc.02/23/05
019012NFCTC Distributing, Ltd.02/03/05
017371NFCargo Transport FLA, Inc. dba Marazul Shipping01/03/05
018121NFGeneral Logistics, Inc.01/31/05
018836FHarbor Trading Company03/14/05
018238NJ.M.P. Shipping, L.L.C.01/28/05
017025FMilton C. Merion, L.L.C.02/02/05
003501FTranspo Service, Ltd.01/26/05

(FR Pub 03/30/05, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-6274.pdf)

10. FMC Reissues OTI Licenses

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has reissued the following ocean transportation intermediary (OTI) licenses:

License CompanyDate Reissued
004220NRichard D. Kim dba Best Containers Express Co. (CA)12/16/04
016528NUni International, America Corp. (FL)02/05/05
004635NFWorld Shipping America Inc. (NJ)01/19/05

(FR Pub 03/30/05, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-6275.pdf)

11. FMC Lists Applicants for OTI Licenses

The FMC has issued a notice stating that the following companies have filed applications for license as a non-vessel-operating common carrier (NVOCC), ocean freight forwarder (FF), or NVOCC/FF ocean transportation intermediary (OTI):

NVOCC-OTI

Global Shipping & Freight International Inc. (FL)

La Costa Logistics Services, Inc. (CA)

Ultimate Logistics Enterprise, Inc. (CA)

Unlimited Express Corp., U.S.A., (NY)

SWAT Logistics Int'l Inc. (NY)

Flexitank Food Grade, Inc.

JSJ Express, Inc. (NY)

Sun-Way Logistics (USA) Inc. (CA)

Embarque Tenares Corp. (NY)

NVOCC/FF-OTI

USCA Forwarding-Seabell Express Inc., dba Seabell Express, dba USCA Forwarding, dba USCA-Seabell Inc. (NJ)

Luciano Shipping, Inc. (NY)

Turk Group, Inc. dba MTG (Multi Transportation Group) (CA)

FF-OTI

Wickman Worldwide Services, Inc. (IN)

Hiers Global Logistics, Inc. (FL)

(FR Pub 03/30/05, available at http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-6273.pdf)