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UPDATE: EMBARGO OAKLAND AND LATHROP

MAY 8, 2008

Truckers protests continue at the port of Oakland for the 4th day. Protesting groups are much smaller today. The UP embargo will be lifted at noon. The terminals are working. Gates opened at 7:00. Trucker traffic and gate transactions have improved. The gates are opened and free time will not be extended by the port terminal.

 

EMBARGO OAKLAND AND LATHROP

MAY 7, 2008

Please be advised that due to an independent trucker work stoppage, effective
immediately, the UPRR has placed an embargo on inbound intermodal shipments that are moving into UPRR’s Lathrop, CA or Oakland, CA facilities.

Effective 1130 CST on May 6, 2008, the UPRR is no longer accepting any shipments at any UPRR terminal that are destined for the Lathrop or Oakland terminals.

As of this writing, CSX will continue to accept in-gates at CSX terminals for westbound shipments that are to be steel-wheel interchanged to Lathrop or Oakland. Depending upon the duration of the work stoppage in Northern California, the ability to tender shipments in this manner at CSX origins could be revised at any given time.

Also at this time, eastbound shipments out of Lathrop or Oakland will be accepted for in-gate at UPRR terminals in a normal manner, however normal service may be negatively impacted due to low origin volumes.

UPRR has initiated a “permit process” whereby Pacer Stacktrain and other customers will have to petition for grants to tender shipments destined to the Lathrop or Oakland terminals. No permits are being granted at this time. The UPRR will review the situation on May 7 to determine the number of grants that may be awarded to each customer.

Pacer Stacktrain will be providing extended per diem relief to its Customers due to this UPRR Embargo involving westbound shipments to Lathrop and Oakland.

Pacer Stacktrain will grant additional free days at origin on westbound units that could not be in-gated due to the embargo. The additional free days will include all days from the date of the embargo, May 6, 2008, until the date the embargo is lifted, plus three additional days to allow for potential ramp congestion. This relief will only apply to containers that have been billed to either Lathrop or Oakland from UPRR origins.

As an alternative for your 53’-110” or 53’-107” container shipments, please consider using our BNSF service into and out of the BNSF Stockton ramp. This ramp is not currently affected by the independent trucker work stoppage. Customers should provide rail billing utilizing their existing customer quote codes, in conjunction with BNSF routing instructions and ramp codes, (e.g., BN CHI to BN SCK). Our systems and Customer Service will handle the changeover. Service on the BNSF will be billed at our current BNSF FAK published rates. The current FAK rates are available at www.pacerstack.com.

After delivery of westbound shipment via BNSF, Pacer Stacktrain equipment may be street turned and loaded with an eastbound Pacer/BNSF routing or returned empty to the Pacer Container Yard at 10736 South Harlan Road, French Camp, California (phone: 209-983-2750). Inbound loads via Pacer/BNSF service under this temporary program may not be street turned for a Pacer/UPRR eastbound service routing.

Please contact your Pacer Stacktrain Business Development Representative for the latest updates regarding this situation.

 

AGRICULTURE TRANSPORT COALITION (AgTC) NOTICE RE:

NEW PORT FEES AT THE PORTS OF LA AND LONG BEACH

January 16, 2008

The Agriculture Transportation Coalition have issued the following notice answering many questions regarding the port fees adopted at the Ports of LA and Long Beach.

Click here to view the notice in PDF.

 

USL ANNOUNCES MAJOR SERVICE RECONFIGURATION

January 8, 2008

USL have issued the following announcement regarding a major realignment to the service structure in three key trade lanes.

Click here to view the announcement in PDF. 

 

PORT AUTHORITY ON NY AND NJ GROWTH AND INITIATIVES

January 8, 2008

The Port Authority of NY and NJ have issued the following notice regarding their plans for forthcoming growth and projected initiatives.

Click here to view the notice in PDF. 

 

WORLD WIDE OCEAN SCHEDULES

February 20, 2007

The following is a link to a very interesting website, www.oceanschedules.com.  The website, although limited to Inttra carriers, provides ocean schedules world wide, port pairs, transit times, etc.  It can be searched via an origin or destination, departure or arrival date and can be researched upto six weeks in advance. 

 

INFORMATION ON SHIPS AT SEA AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

February 20, 2007

The following is a link to another very interesting website, www.sailwx.info.  The website provides current statistical data pertaining to weather conditions, wave heights, tides, currents, air temperatures etc.  The website also provides a facility in which one is able to track the current location of any ship at sea by indicating the ship by name or call sign.

 

TRADE LANES RETURN TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE
WSSA has contracts with service between the following continents:

  • Europe/US (includes Scandinavia, Baltic, Continental Europe, UK, Ireland, and Mediterranean countries)
  • South America/US (Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Uruguay)
  • Australia/US
  • New Zealand/US
  • US/North Europe
  • South Africa/US
  • Central America/USWC
  • Japan/USWC

View Shipping Chart  (Excel document)

RATE SAVINGS RETURN TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE

Rate savings are our business!

Here are some examples of rate savings:

Europe - USA

The regular TACA tariff rate from North Europe for a 40' dry container of wine or spirits to US East Coast base ports is well over $2,800.

WSSA offers its customers contract rates with a savings upward of $400 for a 40' container shipment.  Moreover, WSSA contracts are protected from many interim tariff increases and other assessorial charges that may be introduced on an ad-hoc basis (such as currency fluctuations).

Australia - USA

The regular tariff rate is well over $2,200 for a 20' dry container to US West Coast base ports.  WSSA offers its customers contract rates with a savings upward of $400 for a 20' container in this trade lane.

Above rate savings as of September 2003 and may be subject to change.

Fixed Terms and Conditions

Contract rates are frozen for extended time periods (usually 12 months or longer) and additional terms are negotiated.   Some of these include:

  • credit facilities
  • extra free time
  • fixed in-land rates
  • special port provisions

This shows that rate savings on the shipment of one container can make up for the modest membership dues which have not increased in many years!

CARRIER CARGO TRACKING RETURN TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE
Many ocean carriers that WSSA does business with have extensive websites providing a multitude of e-commerce capabilities.

 

The links listed below provide you a quick guide to track your cargo.  Unless otherwise noted, you can go directly to a carrier's website and by inputting either a container or Bill of Lading number, receive an immediate status on your shipment.

Some carriers provide the ability to e-mail them with your Bill of Lading number or container number and then respond providing you with a status of the container.

CARRIER

WEB LINK

CARGO TRACKING LINK

E-MAIL

TRACKING

ANZDL - see CP SHIPS    
APL APL Cargo Tracking
CMA-CGM CMA-CGM Cargo Tracking
CCNI CCNI Cargo Tracking
CSAV CSAV Cargo Tracking
Hamburg-Süd Hamburg-Süd Cargo Tracking 
Hapag-Lloyd Hapag-Lloyd Cargo Tracking  (registration required)
ICL ICL Cargo Tracking (registration required)
Evergreen Evergreen Cargo Tracking  
K-Line K-Line Cargo Tracking
Maersk Line (formerly Maersk-Sealand, P&O Nedlloyd) Maersk Line Cargo Tracking (registration required) Maersk Email
Maruba Not available
MSC MSC Cargo Tracking (registration required) MSC Email
OOCL OOCL Cargo Tracking
Safmarine Safmarine Cargo Tracking
U.S. Lines U.S. Lines Cargo Tracking  
Yang Ming Line Yang Ming Cargo Tracking
Zim Lines Zim Cargo Tracking

TRACKING RETURN TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE
WSSA allows members to track the status of their orders online as well.  This can be accomplished by signing in at the Member Log-in and then selecting the Order Tracking function. Login to Members Area

OTHER USEFUL TRADE INFORMATION RETURN TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE

International Trade Terms

The International Trade Data Systems has a website explaining a very large list of International Trade Terms in alphabetical order.  This list also includes Inco Terms which you may want to explore.

Harmonized Codes

The US International Trade Commission provides extensive information on the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (2007).

Chapter 22 for Beverages, Spirits and Vinegar Tariffs is viewable by means of Adobe Acrobat Reader.

You may also view General International Business/Commerce Information.

CURRENCY EXCHANGE RATES RETURN TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE

Get up-to-date Currency Exchange Rates and Conversions or sign up for a free, automatic subscription that will be e-mailed to you daily.

 

Another source for an automatic and free subscription e-mailed to you daily is xe.com.

CONVERSIONS RETURN TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE
Convert Rates of Exchange, Measurements and Others.

CONTAINER SPECIFICATIONS RETURN TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE
Containers are standardized in size; the most commonly used containers are:

  • 20' General Purpose Container
  • 40' General Purpose Container
  • 40' Refrigerated Container (Temperature Controlled Container)

VIEW ALL CONTAINER SPECIFICATIONS HERE

General purpose containers are also referred to as "dry" containers, whereas refrigerated containers are commonly called "reefers" or TCCs (Temperature Controlled Containers).

The following general rule applies for container loading:

 
20' dry
40' dry
# of pallets
10-11
20-21
# of cases - on pallets
800
1,200
# cases - no pallets
1,000
n/a
Payload weight
37,000 lbs
44,000 lbs

Above "general" rules apply only when "normal standard" size bottles (750 ml) and cases (12 bottles per case) are used.

SAILING SCHEDULES RETURN TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE

Access Global Sailing Schedules.

GENERAL INFORMATION AND USEFUL LINKS RETURN TO THE TOP OF THE PAGE

Computer Hoaxes

Business and Personal Listings

Zipcodes

Time Zones

Travel

Is Your Freight Properly Insured?

In order to provide safe and reliable service, WSSA requires that motor carriers providing service on behalf of a member, WSSA directly, maintain minimum insurance standards.  These standards are in line with current industry levels.

In the same vein, we suggest if you control the delivery of your freight, that you or your broker contact the carriers you use and have them name you as "additional insured" on their policy.  Overall, proof of insurance should indicate:

  • Commercial Liability with combined coverage and a limit of $1 million per occurrence
  • Trailer Interchange Coverage $20,000 (more if you ship in refrigerated containers)
  • Motor Truck Cargo (amount varies)

Protect yourselves and your cargo - don't count on someone else to make sure your cargo is being hauled by a trucker who is properly insured - have  yourselves named as an "additional insured" and by having your name included as an insured, you will automatically receive notice of renewal and/or cancellation of the policy!

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WSSA handles ocean shipping services for wholesale quantities for
Importers, Distributors and Suppliers in the beverage industry.