Picture a pet brand with 40 products on a container out of Ningbo. The vessel is running 10 days late, and Black Friday is close. Three best-sellers, a dental chew, a calming supplement and a treat-dispensing camera, will sell out before the ship arrives. The other 37 have enough stock to wait. Flying the whole container would wipe out the season’s margin. Flying nothing leaves … Read More
Ocean Space Too Tight? How to Decide What Moves by Air This Q4
The booking was confirmed. The purchase order is due before Black Friday. Then the container rolls to the next sailing, and the question lands on your desk: do we fly it? For many importers this fall, the honest answer is “some of it.” Ocean schedules are harder to rely on, but air freight isn’t cheap either. The smartest move is rarely to convert an entire … Read More
CBP Import Compliance: IOR Enforcement and Supply Chain
U.S. import compliance is moving into a more data-driven phase. Two recent U.S. Customs and Border Protection actions, enhanced enforcement of Importer of Record information and a new initiative focused on supply chain visibility, show a common direction: CBP wants more accurate importer identity data and deeper visibility into the parties, documents, and information behind goods entering the United States. Both actions trace back to … Read More
Section 338 Tariffs on Canada: What U.S. Importers Need to Know
The U.S. – Canada tariff environment changed again in August 2026. After the Trump administration announced additional 50% ad valorem duties on certain Canadian goods under Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, a presidential proclamation temporarily delayed the effective date by three days, from August 19 to August 22, 2026. The Federal Register notice published August 24 confirms the revised effective date of … Read More
PierPASS TMF Increase: What Importers Need to Know
Importers moving containers through Southern California’s San Pedro Bay port complex should update their landed-cost forecasts. Effective August 1, 2026, the PierPASS Traffic Mitigation Fee, or TMF, at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach increased by 4.77%. The new rate is $40.63 per twenty-foot equivalent unit, or TEU, and $81.26 for containers of all other sizes. The increase applies to non-exempt containers handled … Read More
Section 301 Forced Labor Import Duties Effective July 24, 2026
New Section 301 forced labor import duties became effective today, July 24, 2026, creating immediate tariff, classification, and entry-filing considerations for U.S. importers. The action applies to imports from 60 economies and generally imposes an additional duty of 10% or 12.5%, subject to product, country, trade agreement, and in-transit exemptions. U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued CBP’s CSMS guidance on July 23 with filing instructions … Read More
Brazil Section 301 Tariffs: 25% Duty Starts July 22
The Office of the United States Trade Representative has finalized a new Section 301 trade action affecting imports from Brazil. Beginning at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on July 22, 2026, covered products of Brazil entered for consumption, or withdrawn from a warehouse for consumption, will be subject to an additional 25% ad valorem duty. For U.S. importers, the immediate question is not simply whether a … Read More
CPSC eFiling Is Now Mandatory: What Importers Must Know About Electronic Certificates of Compliance
As of July 8, 2026, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has officially launched its mandatory electronic filing (eFiling) program. If your company imports regulated consumer products into the United States, this change directly impacts how you submit compliance documentation at the border. Understanding the new requirements and preparing your internal processes is no longer optional, it is a condition of clearing customs. At GLC … Read More
Ocean Freight Q3 2026: BAF Surcharges Are Rising. Here’s What Importers Should Review Before Booking
Ocean Freight Q3 2026 is entering a more complex pricing and capacity environment. For importers, the challenge is no longer simply finding the lowest base ocean rate. Fuel-related surcharges, early peak-season demand, carrier capacity management, blank sailings, and tighter booking windows are all influencing the true cost and reliability of moving cargo. One of the biggest changes came with the July quarterly fuel surcharge reset. … Read More
USMCA 2026 Review: What North American Importers Need to Plan For Now
The USMCA 2026 review is no longer a distant policy milestone. It is now one of the most important trade developments for companies moving goods across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. For importers, exporters, manufacturers, and supply chain teams, the review introduces a new planning environment where compliance, documentation, origin strategy, and cross-border logistics must be evaluated together. On July 1, 2026, the United … Read More