World Trade Center-Kansas City News: May, 2022

May 24, 2022

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World Trade Center · Newsletters

A LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR

May is World Trade Month! WTC-KC celebrated World Trade Day on May 11 in partnership with the Kansas City International Steering Committee. We heard keynote speaker Pat Klein, Director of Aviation, Kansas City Aviation Department, speak on the event’s theme, logistics and distribution. Pat was followed by a knowledgeable panel, moderated by Chris Gutierrez, KC Smartport. Kansas City sits comfortably as the 40th largest metropolitan export area in the country. While the last two years have been full of crises and supply chain disruption, predictably, Kansas City exports fell from 2019 to 2020. However, not only did 2021 exports recover the losses from the shock of the pandemic in 2020, they exceeded our 2019 exports. The data tells the story of a city who is eager and determined, who is not content with recovery but strives towards growth.  

To help Kansas City’s internationally minded businesses grow, WTC-KC has a host of resources and events. On May 13, we hosted Juan Carlos Pinzon, Ambassador to the United States from Colombia for a business roundtable to celebrate the bicentennial of U.S.-Colombia relations. The ambassador talked about opportunities to export PPE to Colombia, FDI in the nation’s sports and promoted Latin America as a destination for companies moving their manufacturing closer to home amid supply chain disruptions. On May 24 we had the pleasure of hosting the Deputy Consul in Charge of Mexico in Kansas City, Oscar Soberanes Benitez. Attendees were able to discuss topics like nearshoring and workforce solutions with the Deputy Consul in Charge. If you are interested in learning more about doing business in Mexico, please reach out and we would be happy to connect you with the Consulate.

WTC-KC is excited to launch the Heartland Export Accelerator. The program is ideal for businesses: 

  • Looking to grow their company through international sales
  • Looking to diversify their existing international sales 
  • Interested in becoming more strategic regarding their international business growth 
  • Approached by international customers, but yet to engage them

Administered in virtual sessions over the course of eight weeks, businesses enrolled in this program will graduate with a fully vetted export plan. Learn more about the program and apply here. 

Around the Chamber, we have been hard at work celebrating small businesses. Read more about the Top 10 Small Businesses, all finalists for Small Business of the Year. Stay tuned for the announcement of the KC Chamber Weida Award for International Small Business of the Year Recipient at the Small Business Celebration Luncheon on June 15. 

As always, please contact us with any questions. 

Events

Duties and Taxes: The Full Landed Cost
May 26 
Register here

U.S.- Brazil Next Generation Networks and 5G Technologies Workshop
São Paulo, Brazil 
June 7, 2022 
Register here

Certified Global Business Professional (CGBP) Training
August 9-11, 2022
University of Missouri
Contact Jackie Rasmussen to register (rasmussenj@missouri.edu, 573-884-5223, or 573-836-0002)

Advanced Manufacturing Trade Mission
October 12-21, 2022 
Indonesia, Singapore, and Japan 
Register here

Dispatches from DC

Photo of cargo ships in port, including the ship Northern Justice

Currently, the Federal Maritime Commission is proposing “…six major changes to how carrier automated tariffs are governed.” With these changes, carriers would no longer be permitted to charge a fee to access their tariffs. Additionally, the definition of co-loading would be altered to apply to less-than-container loads. The proposition strives to move closer to attaining a competitive and efficient ocean transit system. Comments on the proposition are due on June 9. The full list of rules is below. Read more here.

  1. Remove the option for ocean common carriers to charge a fee to access their tariff; 
  2. Allow non-vessel operating common carriers (NVOCCs) to cross reference certain aspects of other carriers’ terms in their tariffs; 
  3. Clarify the ability for NVOCCs to reflect increases in certain charges passed-through by other entities without notice; 
  4. Update the definition of co-loading to apply only to less than container loads; 
  5. Require that documentation be annotated with the names of all NVOCCs involved in a shipping transaction; 
  6. Make other miscellaneous updates and clarifications to the regulation; 

Resources

Photo of hands typing on laptop with computer monitor in the background.

UPS international shipping

  • Learn more about how UPS makes international business shipping easier
  • Watch video here

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