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Latest Certified Transportation Network meeting
strengthens our international ties
We underlined our commitment to the Certified Transportation Network (CTN) by sending five senior Universal staff members to the 2018 Annual Conference, held May 9-11 in Porto, Portugal. Our team was led by Mark Glionna, Vice President – Client Relations & Business Development and Paul Glionna, Vice President – Systems Development & Operations, both of whom have attended multiple CTN meetings.
“No other conference offers as much time for one-on-one meetings with the other attendees,” notes Paul Glionna. “We use that time to strengthen existing relationships and establish new contacts with some of the most important people in the logistics business.”
CTN is a worldwide group of logistics providers, created to help the member partners deliver high level services for businesses involved in global trade. Universal Logistics is the only representative from Canada.
For more information, contact Paul Glionna, Vice President – Systems Development & Operations.
E-payments of Duty & GST preferred by CBSA
If you are not already using on-line banking or EDI to make your monthly payments of duty and GST to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), here are three great reasons to make that change now:
- It’s easy!
- It’s convenient!
- It will soon become mandatory!
With the same ease and convenience of paying other utility bills on-line, there is no better way to ensure your payment of duty and GST is received on time and without error. The fact is – e-payments of duty and GST will soon become mandatory. Don’t delay! Sign up today!
For more information, please visit our web site, contact your Client Care representative or John Leis – Director – Client Relations.
Ask about our U.S. domestic truck freight service
Need to move truck freight from point A to point B within the U.S.? We can now handle that!
Universal Logistics USA’s strategic location in Buffalo, New York, at the trade gateway linking Canada and the U.S., simplifies your North American shipments by providing a single source for a complete range of U.S. customs brokerage and trucking services (LTL & FTL).
We are pleased to announce that we are now also able to offer U.S. domestic truck freight services to our Canadian and U.S. based clients, having obtained our licensing authority from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
For your next domestic U.S. truck shipment, please contact our in-house trucking expert, Lisa Fertita, General Manager – Freight Services by phone (716) 882-4100, ext. 1002 or email. Lisa will select the right carrier and the right route for your needs and budget.
U.S. port fees under investigation
Demurrage and detention practices of some ocean carriers and marine terminal operators, specifically in cases where shippers are not allowed to retrieve cargo, are the focus of an investigation by the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC).
The investigation was launched in early April, after a petition was filed by a coalition of shippers who want an end to detention and demurrage charges due to circumstances beyond their control. The shippers state unfair port charges have been levied more frequently in recent years as a result of labour strife, increasing freight volumes, the Hanjin bankruptcy and weather emergencies.
The subjects of the petition have been ordered to supply documents and explain their business practices, while the companies that filed the complaint have been asked to provide information that supports their claims.
Detention charges are assessed on cargo left at a terminal beyond the allotted free time, while demurrage is levied for late return of carriers’ containers. The ocean carriers and terminal operators say it is needed to discourage long-term storage and improve equipment utilization.
For more information, contact David Lychek, Manager – Ocean & Air Services.
White House puts off decision on U.S tariffs
Temporary tariff exemptions on imports of steel and aluminum into the U.S. from multiple countries, including Canada, were extended by one month on May 1st. The other countries involved include Mexico and the member countries of the European Union (EU).
The White House’s original plan, announced in March, was to apply tariffs of 25 per cent on imported steel and 10 per cent on imported aluminum from all countries. But the announcement was quickly reversed after the stock market dropped 2% and many important U.S. politicians spoke out against the tariffs.
Varying degrees of progress are being made with other countries:
- South Korea: deal on steel imports
- Argentina, Australia, Brazil: negotiations on steel and aluminum nearing completion
- China: little or no progress
Canada and EU countries have announced that they will retaliate if the threatened U.S tariffs are implemented.
For more information, contact Brian Rowe, Director – Customs Compliance & Regulatory Affairs.
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One of the sights that attracts
millions of sightseers annually |
How many clues do you need to name a city that has a park 10% larger than Central Park in New York?
- In 2017, the port handled 142 million tonnes of cargo, destined for over 170 countries and with a value of $200 billion.
- The port facilities include the world’s fourth largest cruise ship terminal.
- Known for its rugged scenery, ocean, mountains and wildlife.
- One of the only major cities in North America without freeway access downtown.
- Named the third most livable city in the world, after Melbourne and Vienna, in 2017.
- Known as ‘Hollywood of the North’ because so many movies are filmed there.
- This city has the mildest climate in Canada, with an average of 165 rainy days per year.
- Very ethnically diverse – 40 per cent of this city’s population is foreign born.
- Greenpeace was established in this city.
 Click here to see the answer
Answer:Vancouver, British Columbia
For more information about shipping freight to or from this city, contact Debbie McGuire, Manager – Freight Solutions.
Save on smaller shipments by consolidating courier-type orders and using distribution hubs
Instead of sending multiple international courier packages on a daily basis, consolidate weekly and ship by the pallet to a distribution warehouse. From this point, orders can be picked & packed and on-forwarded at domestic rates.
Outsourcing this function can prove very cost effective at a minimal disruption to service levels.
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Katie Kicul, Customs Operations – Niagara Falls |
At Your Service: Katie Kicul, Customs Operations – Niagara Falls
Katie Kicul, a member of the Customs Operations team in our Niagara Falls office, handles the customs release of cargo that is transported across the Queenston-Lewiston bridge. She joined the company in 2013.
Katie can be reached by phone (905) 262-5381 or by email. |
