NIC: Jones Act Has Not Interfered with Spill Cleanup
“Currently 15 foreign-flagged vessels are involved in the largest response to an oil spill in U.S. history. No Jones Act waivers have been granted because none of these vessels have required such a waiver to conduct their operations as part of the response in the Gulf of Mexico. “While we have not seen any need to waive the Jones Act as part of this historic response, we continue to prepare for all possible scenarios, and that's why Admiral Allen provided guidance to process necessary waivers as quickly as possible to allow vital spill response activities being undertaken by foreign-flagged vessels to continue without delay should that be necessary.
CIT Takes Issue With Customs' Duty Calculation in Dry-Docking Case
The vessel repair statute (Section 466 of the Tariff Act of 1930, 19 U.S.C. § 1466) requires the payment of a 50 percent ad valorem duty on the cost of foreign equipment purchased for, or expenses of repairs made to, U.S.-flag vessels in a foreign country. The purpose of the vessel repair statute is to protect U.S. shipyards and to discourage vessel operators from taking their vessels abroad for the purpose of obtaining less expensive foreign repairs. The U.S. Court of International Trade determined that "section 1466 expresses the legislative policy designed to provide maximum protection to American shipyards." Mount Washington Tanker Co. v. United States, 505 F. Supp. 209, 214 (1980), aff'd, 665 F.2d340 (C.C.P.A. 1981). The U.S.
DHS Issues RFI on Smart Containers
The DHS - Border and Transportation Security, United States Customs Service (USCS), Procurement Division of 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Room 1310 NP, Washington, DC, 20229, issued a Request for Information (RFI) regarding smart and secure containers. papers), not to exceed five (5) pages per project, on a technical or project activity addressing areas of interest described in this RFI. address. Electronic submissions are preferred. Please include in a cover letter the contact information and a synopsis stating the concept, anticipated results and potential payoff to container security. The cover letter is not included as part of the 5 page limit. SPECIAL NOTICE: This announcement will be open for sixty (60) days and closes on February 17, 2004.
CSI Expands Beyond Megaports
U.S. Customs Commissioner Robert C. Bonner announced that the Container Security Initiative (CSI) participating ports of Bremerhaven and Hamburg are now operational. Bremerhaven and Hamburg join the already operational CSI ports of Rotterdam and LeHavre in Europe and Montreal, Halifax, and Vancouver in Canada. The port of Antwerp is expected to be operational by February 25. Rotterdam became operational on September 2, 2002 and LeHavre on December 2, 2002. The three Canadian ports were operational in March of 2002. "We are getting CSI implemented in those ports that have signed on. We will continue to deploy teams to the participating ports as quickly as possible," said Commissioner Bonner.
Homeland Security Announces Reorganization
While visiting several hundred future Department of Homeland Security employees in Miami, Secretary Ridge highlighted the Department's strategic goals for building a nation where Americans are protected from the evil of terrorism. One of the top priorities is to integrate specific departmental functions to enhance efficiencies and create greater accountability in one seamless border service. To accomplish this, today President Bush submitted to Congress a modification to the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan which establishes the organizational framework for the Department's Border and Transportation Security mission.
Commerce Committee Will Hold Port Security Field Hearing
U.S. Senator Fritz Hollings (D-SC), Chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, announced today a full Committee hearing on the implementation of the Port and Maritime Security Act on Tuesday, February 19th, 2002, at 1:30 PM at the Charleston, S.C., Maritime Center. Witnesses will include: Panel I, Norman Y. Mineta, Secretary of Transportation; Admiral James M. Loy, Commandant, United States Coast Guard; Robert C. Bonner, Commissioner, United States Customs Service; Panel II, Joseph P. Riley, Jr., Mayor of Charleston; Keith Summey, Mayor of North Charleston, Bernard S. Groseclose, Jr., President and CEO, South Carolina State Port ; Robert M. Burdette, City of Mt. Pleasant, City Administrator, Municipal Complex; Major Alvin A.
