Super Typhoon Ragasa
Production and transportation operations in SE Asia have been affected by Super Typhoon Ragasa, which is currently impacting the area. Factories have closed and people have left for safer areas – air and sea operations are disrupted ahead of the Golden Week holiday. Guangdong province is particularly affected.
Port operations were suspended in Hong Kong, Nansha, Shekou, and Yantian with a review taking place today to consider when it will be safe to restart operations. The airport in Hong Kong is continuing operations, but services are suffering delays and cancelations. Flights are expected to return to a more normal schedule as of Thursday.
We are proactively contacting affected clients, but if you have questions about a particular shipment, please contact us.
New Port-Call Fees for Vessels Commencing in October
US Trade Representative (USTR) will begin collecting fees on Chinese-built and -operated ships calling US ports starting October 14th, 2025. Some carriers have already committed to absorbing any fees levied against them related to this initiative. Cosco, OOCL, CMA CGM, and MSC have each issued statements for clients to expect little change to services or charges. Some carriers are rotating China-built container ships to other lanes and others will manage the challenge internally by other means.
We will be monitoring this situation closely. Should we see carriers implement fees to offset the USTR initiative, we will investigate alternatives to present to clients.
New CBP Enforcement on Manifest Filings – Effective September 27th, 2025
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will begin automatically rejecting ACE manifest filings that do not include complete cargo descriptions, consignee details, or shipper information effective September 27th, 2025.
Here’s what’s required for filings to be accepted:
- A clear and specific cargo description
- Full consignee name and address
- Full shipper name and address
What happens if details are missing?
- The filing will be rejected before arrival, and error codes will be issued (e.g. invalid cargo description, invalid shipper, invalid consignee)
- CBP officers will also have new authority to manually place or remove holds tied to incomplete data
The change is designed to prevent port congestion and ensure compliance with CBP regulations.
New DOT Request for Information on Cargo Theft
The US Department of Transportation has issued a Request for Information (RFI) titled “Protecting America’s Supply Chain from Cargo Theft”. Cargo theft is increasingly seen by DOT as a systemic risk — from opportunistic trailer/container thefts to coordinated, cyber-enabled diversion schemes. The DOT wants input from stakeholders across the supply chain on how to better prevent, detect, report, and respond to theft.
Key points from the RFI:
- DOT is asking which modes are most vulnerable to theft and why
- They want data on barriers to reporting or responding to theft incidents, and how coordination across jurisdictions might improve
- The RFI also seeks insight into best practices (GPS tracking, electronic seals, secure parking, AI-driven monitoring) that could meaningfully deter theft
- Public comments are open until October 20th, 2025 and can be submitted here
- DOT may use responses to shape future programs, data-sharing frameworks, and interagency partnerships
Alba has comprehensive insurance coverage solutions – If you’d like to speak with our team about insurance coverage, please contact us.
