Ocean Operations Advisory Announcements

Port Labor Strike in San Antonio, Chile
As of 3-12-08, the port labor strike in San Antonio has begun its second day. A meeting was scheduled with the Transport Ministry, but there is pessimism of further intervention by the Central Authority.

Changes in Brazilian Customs
The new system SISARGA will become effective April 1. This new system was introduced by the Brasilian customs, and will cause some basic changes in the documentation and the registration of the shipments and the deadlines.

Because negotiations are still taking place between Customs, Shipping Lines, Agents and Customs brokers, the final changes have yet to be determined.

One of these revisions includes an obligation to register the documents before arrival of the goods. Consequently, the timeframe out of Europe and the United States is extremely critical. With only 1-2 days for correction of Master and House B/L, calculating the time the courier needs to get the documents registered is crucial.

Express Release will NO LONGER BE ALLOWED.

Weight discrepancies, typing mistakes, wrong NCM or CNPJ number or other differences in the dates between Master and House will be punished with a fine of BRL$5,000 (Approx USD $2,950 NOT NEGOTIABLE).

AIT’s partner has requested that we inform customers and exporters to have correct cargo details to avoid any problems in the documentation.

Longshore Caucus calls for Port Strike on May 1
The International Longshoreman and Warehouse Union Website (ILWU) has called for a strike at U.S. west coast ports for May 1. Expect terminal operations on the west coast to be significantly impacted. There is no word yet if other port organizations both on the west coast and in other parts of the United States will call for sympathy strikes, but AIT will keep all customers advised.

Source: http://www.ilwu.org/longshore/maydayrally08.cfm

Longshore Caucus calls for Iraq war protest at ports on May 1
Nearly one hundred Longshore Caucus delegates voted on February 8 to support a resolution calling for an eight-hour "stop-work" meeting during the day-shift on Thursday, May 1 at ports in CA, OR and WA to protest the war by calling for the immediate, safe return of U.S. troops from Iraq.

“The Caucus has spoken on this important issue and I’ve notified the employers about our plans for 'stop work' meetings on May 1,” said ILWU International President Bob McEllrath.

Caucus delegates, including several military veterans, spoke passionately about the importance of supporting the troops by bringing them home safely and ending the War in Iraq. Concerns were also raised about the growing cost of the war that has threatened funding for domestic needs, including education and healthcare. Nobel prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz and Harvard economist Linda J. Bilmes recently estimated that the true cost of the War in Iraq to American taxpayers will exceed 3 trillion dollars--a figure they describe as "conservative."

The union’s International Executive Board recently endorsed Barack Obama, citing his opposition to the War in Iraq as one of the key factors in the union's decision-making process.

Caucus delegates are democratically elected representatives from every longshore local who set policy for the Longshore Division.

ILWU International President Robert McEllrath has written letters to President John Sweeney of the AFL – CIO and President Andy Stern of the Change-to-Win Coalition, and to the presidents of the International Transport Workers Federation and the International Dockworkers Council to inform them of the ILWU's plans for May 1.

Port of Montreal Routings – March 14 and March 17
Please be advised that CPR Schiller Park, export CPR Terminal servicing Port of Montreal exports, will be CLOSING its gates on Friday, March 14 and Monday, March 17.

Due to the severe winter storm in Montreal, it has become necessary to issue this 2-day injunction to ALL Port of Montreal export traffic this Friday, March 14, and Monday, March 17.

The inability to provide westbound trains into the Midwest out of the Port of Montreal is due to the congestion at the port, and CPR will not have any return eastbound trains available. The limited space and current congestion at CPR Schiller Park will quickly overwhelm remaining staging areas, so there will be no ingates or lift availability of any exports during these two days.

There will be no exceptions for any export container to be allowed ingate.

Schiller Park will allow import outgates during this time.

CPR Schiller Park will re-open on Tuesday, March 18, at 6:00 a.m.