525 S. Douglas St. , #100• El Segundo, CA 90245 • (310) 607-8000
COVID can't keep Coppersmith down.
 
The news of a vaccine rollout has taken over the attention of the world as doses in frozen containers packed with dry ice march across the television screen in videos of the first sticks going to essential workers and vulnerable patients. Soon, we hope to see the frontline workers in the logistics sector start to receive their vaccines as they’re working around the clock to ensure supply chains keep these critical shipments moving around the world.
Now, more than ever, we feel our business is essential to keeping food on the shelves and tables, getting PPE into the hands of health providers, supplying materials to builders creating housing, and supplying products for the everyday needs of all Americans.  
FDA REGISTRATION NUMBERS FOR IMPORTERS AND FOREIGN SUPPLIERS EXPIRE ON DECEMBER 31ST
FDA Registration numbers for Importers and Foreign Suppliers expire on December 31st every year and need to be renewed or updated annually. 

This year the FDA is requiring that all registered companies have a DUNS number assigned to their company. Please confirm that your company and your suppliers' registration numbers have been updated as required.

For more information, you may refer to the following links

Note that the FDA DUNS Portal continues to allow:
  • Facility lookup: the ability to look-up a facility in the DUN & Bradstreet (D&B) database and obtain the associated DUNS number
  • Facility validation: the ability to validate a DUNS number and the associated business name and address in the D&B database.

For technical questions related to the Food Facility Registration, you may contact the FURLS/Food Facility Registration Helpdesk below.
APHIS IS MOVING TO ACE ON JANUARY 25, 2021  
This will require a significant amount of additional information to be provided by the importer, as well as broker filing requirements. Importers will need to know their merchandise details, and if they must provide licenses, permits, certificates, or other forms of product verification to the USDA/APHIS. 

Brokers can only submit the information provided by the importer and cannot provide these LPCO’s on their behalf. As stated in previous alerts, the details of the product origin, scientific names, and processes done to their plant or animal-based products will need to be confirmed on the import documentation for appropriate filing with the U.S. Government authorities. 

Please start reviewing your product information now to see if they will be subject to this additional government scrutiny.
NEWS FROM COPPERSMITH
HAPPY HOLIDAYS WITH COPPERSMITH
Coppersmith will be closed on December 24th & 25th.  

We will be open all day December 31st and closed January 1st. 

All overtime requests for services need to be approved well in advance of the holiday.

Please ensure you have all of your documentation submitted on time to avoid any delays due to the holiday schedule. If you're concerned about a shipment over the holiday weekend, please contact your Coppersmith representative to discuss ways to ensure your cargo is ready before the holiday.

Please have a happy, healthy, and safe holiday season, from our family to yours.
FMC is investigating the demurrage and detention fees being assessed on the west coast, where record level imports are flooding in from Asia, driving up wait times and contributing to an already severe logjam. The FMC is seeking comments from the trade concerning these very significant issues. Any comments or complaints should be sent, with detailed information, to the FMC through the special mailbox established at ff29@fmc.gov.
As we briefly touched on last week, export forwarders are having a terrible time getting service from carriers customer service units in the U.S. Exports out of the USA continue to suffer as carriers refuse to book export cargo pushing the FMC to start an investigation into the legality of refusing export shipments. This refusal is contributing to the unprecedented global disruption of both ocean freight and the impending air cargo rollout of the vaccine.
EIS (Equipment imbalance surcharges) are being introduced by most carriers because of equipment shortages in China. Some truckers are imposing surcharges for the Norfolk Southern Rail ramp in Atlanta. Carriers are announcing container surcharges due to congestion determined by the size and type of equipment required. The congestion fees are expected to continue through the beginning of 2021. 
Rates for the Trans-Pacific show no signs of slowing down as a tsunami of imports crash against the U.S. west coast. The high rates are expected to continue through the beginning of 2021 at least until after the Chinese Lunar New Year Celebrations and subsequent shut down of factories overseas.
Currently, there are alternative routings that avoid the U.S. west coast and utilize southeastern ports or those along the Gulf of Mexico.
  ONE Apus container collapse - The 14,000TEU ship is being investigated as more than 1800 containers were lost when the vessel encountered gale force winds in a severe storm approximately 1600 nautical miles north of Hawaii. Recent drone surveys of the ship estimate that losses could top $200 million.

Do you have cargo insurance? make sure you're covered in the event of an emergency. Coppersmith can help!