Hurricane Ian Service Alert

Hurricane Ian Service Alert

hurricane ian map

(Photo from the NHC as of 9/28/22 at 7:00am)

The west coast of Florida is bracing for Hurricane Ian to hit as early as Wednesday, September 28. Widespread power outages are expected from Fort Myers to Tampa Bay with tropical force winds reaching 100-plus miles from the center. Storm surges are estimated to reach 10 feet of ocean water and 10 inches of rain across the Tampa Bay area. 

You can view all of the latest details regarding Hurricane Ian on the National Hurricane Center Website: https://www.noaa.gov/ian

**Please note that the updates below are from 9/28/22 at 7 am EST. The status of each port/airport may continue to fluctuate.**

Florida Port Operations

All ports currently have adequate fuel supplies and are staging appropriate measures to be well-positioned after the storm to quickly reinstate operations and keep fuel supplies moving.

  • Ports currently closed include Port Tampa Bay, Port of St. Petersburg Seaport Manatee, Port of Fort Pierce, Port of Palm Beach, Port Canaveral, and Port of Key West.
  • Ports currently open with restrictions include the Port of Ft. Pierce and Port of Palm Beach.
  • Ports currently open while preparing for storm impacts include Port Everglades, Port Miami, Port Fernandina, JAXPORT, Port Canaveral, Port of Pensacola (with restrictions), Port Panama City, and Port St. Joe.

Florida Airport Operations

The current status of airports is listed below. While some facilities have scheduled closures, individual airlines may decide to cease flights earlier than that.

  • Tampa International Airport will suspend operations at 5 pm Tues Sept 27
  • St.Pete/Clearwater International Airport will close at 2 pm Tues Sept 27
  • Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport- Airport will close at 8 pm local Tuesday, Sept. 27 through 8 pm Thursday, Sept. 29
  • Tallahassee International Airport- Currently open and continuing storm preparations
  • Pensacola International Airport- Currently open and continuing storm preparations
  • Punta Gorda Airport- Currently open and continuing storm preparations
  • Orlando International Airport- Closing Wednesday, September 28 at 10:30 am 
  • Orlando Sanford International Airport- Passenger terminal closing at 5 pm. Airport facility closes at 11 PM. Flights on Wednesday and Thursday are cancelled 

As a reminder, you can visit the Logistics Plus Weather Maps page to view all potentially impactful weather conditions worldwide.

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Update on the U.S. Railway Labor Situation

Update on the U.S. Railway Labor Situation

Alert Update on the U.S. Railway Labor Situation9/15/22 7:00 Am EDT Update:

The White House said late Thursday it had reached a tentative agreement to avoid a potential railway strike that threatened to shut down a crucial vein of the U.S. economy. https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-railroad-strike-averted-as-white-house-unions-reach-tentative-deal-11663234424?mod=djemalertNEWS

9/14/22 2:00 PM EDT Update:

Here’s an update on the most recent developments in the ongoing rail vendors’ labor negotiations. Logistics Plus is always here to help shippers navigate current or potential supply challenges. We want to highlight that the U.S. railway situation remains very fluid, and you can find more detailed information and FAQs on the National Railway Labor Conference website.

What happened:

  • The six largest freight carriers and 12 unions representing railroad workers have been negotiating a new labor deal for two years.
  • Union workers for freight railroad companies are nearing a federally mandated “cool down” period ending Friday, 9/16/22, that could result in a strike for two of the largest unions over sick time and penalties for missing work.
  • The strike would go into effect after midnight on Friday and would be the first strike in nearly 30 years.

Where we’re at:

  • 10 of the 12 labor unions involved in negotiations have reached a tentative agreement.
  • 2 unions representing 57,000 conductors and engineers are stuck mainly on a “point-based” attendance system.
  • Retailers could feel a domino effect –missed shipping and pickup dates and cargo sitting in limbo with no destination.
  • An estimated 50% of commuter rail systems run partially on tracks or right of way owned by freight railroads.
  • Freight railways carry an estimated 30% of goods in the U.S.
  • U.S. Government is preparing contingency plans for critical chlorine deliveries to wastewater treatment plants and coal to utility plants.
  • Freight carriers have begun limiting services such as hazmat shipments.
  • Amtrak has canceled some long-distance routes.

Potential impacts of a work stoppage:

  • The immediate effect would be seen in the drayage and truckload market segments as shippers try to re-route their intermodal and rail shipments to truckload carriers.
  • There could be some residual delays and capacity constraints for LTL carriers as many rely on the rail for a segment of inter-city linehaul movements. However, several national LTL carriers have indicated they have contingency plans to move their railroad linehaul loads to truckload carriers.
  • Four key ways this situation could be resolved:
    • Deals are reached across all unions.
    • Full or partial work stoppages – supply chain constraints intensify with potential cost estimates of roughly $2 billion daily.
    • Congress intervenes to force unions back to work.
    • Delay – the two sides could agree to extend the “cooling off period” to continue negotiations.

When supply chain challenges occur, a reputable global logistics partner – like Logistics Plus – can help shippers find new and alternative sources for capacity, obtain competitive spot rates, lock in preferred contract rates, and identify creative solutions to deliver shipments. The world changed. We will get it there.

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USTR Receives Requests for Continuation of China 301 Tariffs

USTR Receives Requests for Continuation of China 301 Tariffs

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Alert Message:

The Office of the United States Trade Representative confirmed that representatives of domestic industries benefiting from the tariff actions in the Section 301 investigation of China’s Acts, Policies, and Practices Related to Technology Transfer, Intellectual Property, and Innovation have requested a continuation of the tariffs. The next steps in the four-year review process will be set out in subsequent notices. The USTR will conduct a review of the tariff actions.

You can read the full announcement here: https://ustr.gov/ustr-receives-requests-continuation-china-301-tariffs

If you have any questions about how this may impact you, the Logistics Plus Customs and Compliance team is here to help.

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USTR Receives Requests for Continuation of China 301 Tariffs

Global Logistics Alert: U.S. Tariffs Lifted on Ukraine Steel

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Alert Message:

The United States Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo announced that the U.S. has temporarily suspended 232 tariffs on Ukrainian steel for one year. Ukraine’s steel industry is uniquely vital to the country’s economic strength, employing 1 in 13 Ukrainians with good-paying jobs. The thought behind this move is that creating export opportunities for Ukrainian steel mills is essential to the country’s ability to continue employing their workers and maintaining one of Ukraine’s most important industries.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24th, the Department of Commerce has launched a series of new export control restrictions on Russia in partnership with three dozen allies. These restrictions have severely impacted Russia’s ability to sustain its aggression.

You can read the full article here: https://www.commerce.gov/news/press-releases/2022/05/raimondo-announces-temporary-suspension-232-tariffs-ukraine-steel

If you have any questions about the tariff changes, the Logistics Plus Customs and Compliance team is here to help.

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USTR Receives Requests for Continuation of China 301 Tariffs

Global Logistics Alert: U.S. Lifts Tariffs On British Steel

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Alert Message:

The United States and Britain have ended a four-year dispute over U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs. The two countries have pledged to work together to counter China in a deal that also removes British tariffs on U.S. exports including motorcycles, whiskey, and other products. Additionally, Chinese-owned steel companies in Britain must undergo annual audits to ensure that Chinese steel can’t enter the United States tariff-free.

You can read the full article on ABC News here: https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/us-agrees-lift-taxes-british-steel-aluminum-83610454

If you have any questions about these changes, the Logistics Plus Customs and Compliance team is here to help.

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