Archive for News – Page 2

NITL Signs Onto the CFATS Coalition letter Urging Congress to pass H.R. 4470

The CFATS Coalition comprises trade associations and companies regulated by the CFATS program. Coalition members represent major sectors of the American economy, including chemical production, chemical distribution and storage, manufacturing, oil and gas refining, utilities, mining, and agricultural goods and services. The businesses we represent and the goods they produce are vital to the American economy and our quality of life.

The (“CFATS Coalition”) urge Congress to swiftly consider and approve H.R. 4470, House-passed legislation to reauthorize for two years the Chemical Facility Antiterrorism Standards (CFATS) program that expired on July 27, 2023.

Click here to read the letter.

NITL Sends Comments to FMC on the SNPRM on Ocean Carrier Unreasonable Refusals to Provide Cargo Space Accommodations

The National Industrial Transportation League (“NITL” or the “League”) hereby submits its comments in response to the Federal Maritime Commission’s (“FMC” or the “Commission”) Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“SNPRM”) published in the Federal Register on June 14, 2023. The Commission is proposing to expand the scope of this proceeding to include ocean carrier unreasonable refusals to provide cargo space accommodations, when available, under § 41104(a)(3), and has revised certain proposals included in its prior notice of proposed rulemaking (“NPRM”) concerning ocean carrier unreasonable refusals to deal or negotiate vessel space accommodations under § 41104(a)(10).

Click here to read the letter.

Over 200 Associations Write to President Biden asking for the Administrations Support in the UPS negotiations!

The undersigned organizations are concerned by the growing possibility of a strike by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in their negotiations for a new labor contract with the United Parcel Service. Given the debilitating impact of a strike on American families and the economy, we urge your Administration to provide the support necessary to help the parties reach a new agreement by the August 1 deadline.

Click here to read the letter.

NITL Responds to FMC re: World Shipping Council Agreement

The Commission’s notice seeks comments from interested parties regarding an Amendment to the World Shipping Council Agreement, FMC Agreement No. 201349, that would authorize the ocean carrier parties to the Agreement to coordinate the development of cargo screening and inspection processes and tools for hazardous materials shipments.

Click here to read the letter.

Bloomberg/NITL Second Quarter Shipper Survey Results

(Bloomberg Intelligence) — Shippers in Bloomberg’s inaugural poll with the National Industrial Transportation League (NITL) expect demand to rise in 2H, yet many remain unsatisfied with rail service, despite recent improvements. The survey included a variety of companies with global operations, with a majority having transportation budgets of more than $101 million and in sectors like food and petrochemicals. (07/06/23)

Click here to read the report.

Leveling the Playing Field

The Americans for Free Trade coalition is a broad alliance of American businesses, trade organizations, and workers united against tariffs. We appreciate the work that the Select Committee on the CCP is undertaking to highlight and address the ongoing economic and national security risks posed by the Chinese Communist Party. We believe it is important to provide Committee members with additional perspective about how the punitive Section 301 tariffs on Chinese products continue to impact U.S. businesses, workers and consumers. We believe this is especially urgent after the Committee’s most recent hearing – Leveling the Playing Field: How to Counter the Chinese Communist Party’s Economic Aggression during which it was suggested that the Section 301 tariffs have been beneficial to the U.S. economy, businesses, and workers and that they should remain in place or even be increased. For the reasons described below, we strongly disagree.

Click here to read the letter.

Request CPKC’s to Change Tariff Insurance Requirements to at least 60 more days, not June 1.

Our concerns with CPKC’s changes to tariff requirements for shippers of Toxic Inhalation Hazard (TIH)/Poison Inhalation Hazard (PIH) materials on the former KCSR network. Our respective organizations represent major CPKC customers that both ship and receive TIH/PIH materials. To prevent potential disruptions in critical supply chains, we urge you to delay the June 1, 2023, effective date for these tariff requirements by at least 60 days. In an April 17, 2023, notice to shippers of TIH/PIH commodities on the KCSR network, CPKC announced revisions to KCSR Rules Publications 9011-G and 9012 that will become effective June 1. These changes include a requirement for each TIH/PIH customer to take out and maintain a $100 million Commercial General Liability Insurance Policy and to fully indemnify the railroad for any incident that does not arise from the railroad’s negligence or willful misconduct.

Click here to read the letter.

NITL Supports FMC Oversight Over Rail Storage Fees Assessed as Part of International Ocean Through Transportation

NITL attended the May 11, 2023, meeting of the FMC’s National Shipper Advisory Committee (NSAC) where public participation and comment was requested, among other matters, on the NCAS proposed resolution regarding rail storage charges assessed on containers moving in international commerce.  NITL supports the NCAS proposal which asks the FMC to address rail storage charges in its pending rulemaking in Docket No. FMC-2022-0066-0090, Demurrage and Detention Billing Requirements. Specifically, NITL supports expanding the definition of demurrage to include railroad storage charges that are assessed as part of through transportation under ocean bills of lading and requiring ocean carriers to be the billing party for such charges. This proposal would ensure that rail storage charges assessed on intermodal shipments moving in international commerce are subject to FMC oversight and the OSRA22 requirements.

Click here to read the press release.

NITL Signs Onto West Coast Port Letter to Administration to Get Involved

NITL joins over two hundred organizations that represent millions of businesses and employees, regarding the ongoing West Coast port labor negotiations between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association. The labor contract has now been expired for over eight months. Negotiations have been ongoing for over ten months, with little to no progress towards a new long-term agreement. It is imperative that the administration work with the parties to quickly reach a new agreement and ensure there is no disruption to port operations and cargo fluidity.

Click here to read the letter.

STB Decision Approving CP/KCS Rail Merger

On March 15, 2023, the Surface Transportation Board (“STB” or “Board”) issued a decision in FD No. 36500 that approves the merger of Canadian Pacific Railroad (“CP”) with the Kansas City Southern Railway (“KCS”) (collectively “Applicants”). The STB’s approval is subject to multiple conditions to address anti-competitive concerns, capacity concerns, potential service disruptions, environmental issues, and various other concerns specific to individual stakeholders. The STB also denied competing applications filed by Canadian National, Norfolk Southern, and CSX requesting divestiture of certain KCS lines. The STB’s decision takes effect on April 14, 2023.

This memorandum summarizes the Board’s decision with a focus upon those issues that were of primary concern to the Joint Associations, which included the American Chemistry Council (“ACC”), The Fertilizer Institute (“TFI”), and The National Industrial Transportation League (“NITL”). It also includes a list of all conditions imposed by the Board.

Click here to read the memorandum.