The partial shutdown of the U.S. government is impacting operations as key maritime agencies and other government offices across the country remain closed. We have recapped some key impacts of these closures below.
Federal Maritime Commission (FMC):
- The Commission’s website will be available during the shutdown, but it will not be updated with new information until operations resume.
- The Commission will not accept online filings or applications through its website for the following:
- Service contracts through SERVCON;
- Ocean Transportation Intermediary (OTI) automated applications or license updates (FMC-18);
- Foreign Unlicensed Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC) registrations or renewals (FMC-65);
- Tariff Registration Forms (FMC-1);
- eAgreements Filing System (Ocean carrier or marine terminal operator agreements or amendments; or,
- eMonitoring System (Agreement monitoring reports, minutes, transcripts);
- The Commission will not accept filings during this period for:
- Ocean carrier or marine terminal operator agreements or amendments;
- Agreement monitoring reports, minutes, or transcripts.
- The Commission’s online databases: SERVCON, the VOCC and NVOCC Tariff List, List of FMC Licensed and Bonded OTIs, and the Agreement Notices & Library will not be accessible.
National Maritime Center (NMC):
- The National Maritime Center (NMC) and all Regional Exam Centers (RECs) are also closed until further notice.
- Examinations and other REC appointments are also cancelled, and REC appointment calendars are closed. Applications may continue to be e-mailed or mailed in, but won’t be processed when the shutdown is over.
Customs and Border Patrol (CBP):
- The loss of CBP Automated Broker Interface Representatives has limited customer set up capacity and entry resolution. Port summary corrections regarding S301 List 1 tariffs that were recently announced by USTR cannot be processed at this time. All ACE-related calls are discontinued as well.
Foreign Trade Zone Boards (FTZ):
- No FTZ are being approved, and limited info is available as the FTZ website has been taken down.
United States Trade Representative (USTR):
- The USTR is not updating their website to include posting tariff listings or international compliance and trade updates.
International Trade Commission (ITC):
- Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) legislation states that ITC studies on the likely economic impacts of free trade agreements are to be submitted to Congress 105 days after the U.S. enters into a trade agreement. Representatives of USMCA member countries signed the pact on Nov. 30, giving the commission until March 15 to submit the report. The administration must submit a copy of the pact’s final legal text and a draft statement of administrative action describing the administration’s interpretation and application of USMCA for purposes of domestic law and international obligations at least 30 days before the Trump administration submits to Congress a draft implementation bill and other final documentation required by TPA.
Department of Commerce:
- U.S. Census Bureau activities will not be available, with the exception of the support of the Decennial Census, which remains funded and activities funded by other agencies and non-Federal entities through reimbursable agreements.
- The Census Bureau’s foreign trade website has not been updated or maintained since the shutdown began.
- Most services and activities performed by the International Trade Administration will not be available during the lapse. Trade.gov and Export.gov websites, and all other associated online activities are unavailable until further notice.