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FDA Food Labeling Requirements

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the entity responsible for monitoring and assuring that all foods sold within the United States are “safe, wholesome, and properly labeled.”  Because we get so many inquiries on the subject, I thought a blog on it would be appropriate. There are various guidelines governing the way to properly label food products, and it […]

Fiduciary Responsibilities of Ocean Freight Forwarders Compared to NVOCCs

It is crucial to understand the type of relationship you have with someone, i.e. the duties and/or responsibilities owed to a party based on their interaction. Today we are taking a look at the fiduciary relationship, questions regarding which arise during Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) audits.  A fiduciary relationship is defined as, “a legal duty to act solely in another […]

New Customs Regulations Regarding Trademark Disclosure

On September 18, 2015, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published a final rule regarding the disclosure of information on goods suspected of bearing counterfeit trademarks or trade names. This new rule allows Customs to share more information with trademark owners about suspect goods. The most notable change is that Customs will share information was protected by the Trade Secrets […]

Compliant NRAs for Federal Maritime Commission Purposes

Traditionally, Non-Vessel-Operating Common Carriers (NVOCCs) compete for shippers’ business by publishing the amount they charge in rate tariffs that are made available to the public. However, as of April 18th, 2011, the Federal Maritime Commission approved the use of Negotiated Rate Arrangements (NRAs) as a new method for NVOCCs to establish rates.  We constantly receive inquiries from NVOCCs seeking guidance […]