Thank you to Silvia Judy, JAS  & CBFFAC for providing a summary of the April 28th  Nav/Ops meeting.

Nick Wong, Executive Director, Maritime Association

Welcome message

• Harbor Cruise May 2^nd, 2022
• Introduction to guest speaker, Clay Thomas, CBP Port Director Charleston

Clay Thomas, Port Director South Carolina Customs and Border Protection

• Bio: Native of South Carolina , Graduate of USC
• Port Director previously held positions
• Savannah, GA
• Shannon and Dublin, Ireland (5 ½ years)
• Seattle, WA (3 years)

CBP Mission:

To protect the American people, safeguard our borders, and enhance the nation’s economic prosperity.

CBP Vision:

Enhancing the nation’s security through innovation, intelligence, collaboration and trust.

CBP has  64,272 employees

-Border security

-facilitate lawful trade and protect revenue

-facilitate lawful travel

Over a million times each day, CBP officers welcome international travelers and returning US citizens into the U.S.

In numbers:

491,688 passengers

159,598 Personal vehicles

723 inadmissible persons at US ports of entry

Seize 4732 lbs. of illegal drugs

$ 342,000 undeclared and illicit currency

Seize $ 9 Million worth of products for IPR (intellectual Property Rights) violations

Collect $ 256 Million in Duties, tariffs and fees

Recent significant seizures (in the last 5 days):

• 363 kg cocaine in the bottom of a Reefer truck in Pharr, TX
• Stash house in East El Paso – 12 undocumented migrants of which two where unaccompanied minors
• Tecate, CA 400 lbs. of Meth / cocaine / Heroin

2^nd largest collector of revenue (IRS is # 1)

Area of responsibility CBP SC:

• Charleston

• Wando Terminal
• Hugh Leatherman Terminal
• North Charleston Terminal
• Columbus Street Terminal
• Cruise Terminal
• CHS International Airport

• GSP Port of Greenville
• CAE
• MYR
• FTZ’s

A day Charleston at CBP:

• 1000 Foreign nationals arriving Passengers
• 3500 Import containers
• Facilitates $ 172 Mio in the local economic impact
• Collects $ 750,000 in duties, tariffs and fees

Assist industry with CT-PAT certification

Top Imports:

• Machinery parts             
• Hardware / lighting
• Furniture
• Forest products
• Vehicles
• Sporting goods

For the Brokerage community, when entries are pre-filed and a vessel is on anchorage for an extended period, be sure you communicate with CBP immediately. Normally, entries are not released until the vessel is cleared in ACE.

No delays are caused by CBP, however if cargo is flagged for exam to be pulled to the CES, with the current truck power / chassis shortage, delays are caused.

100 % of all containers are scanned – Smith Detection units are slated for refurbishing

Federal and State agency reports:

• US Coast Guard – No report
• US ARMY Corps of Engineers

• Harbor deepening project – Contract 1,2,3 finished up the Wando Terminal. Contract 4 up to HLT completed. O&M routine checks completed. NOAA doing QC data checks.

• NOAA

• North Atlantic right whale population on serious decline in species conservation. 15 calves observed, 50 calves needed for species conservation. Early warning Areal lifted 4/15/2022 for vessel 65 ft and longer. Unfortunately, there are still serious injuries and death caused by vessel collisions.

• SCDOT

• Port access Road Project $ 220,770,745.00 – completed Replaced exit 217/218 off I-26 Bainbridge Road – HLT
• I-26 widening project (6 lanes) $ 51,349,749.00 – between exit 197 – 194 – completion date 6/17/2022
• I-26 (SC 27) exit 187 2 round abouts heading towards the new Walmart Distribution center – out to bid – Fall 2022
• Ashley Phosphate – South bound – open graded friction course reached end of life cycle and requires replacement
• I-95 Project – between MM 33 – 68  $ 70,860,118.00 Completion 8/17/2025
• Railroad Avenue Project (parallel to Hwy 52) $ 13,382,516.00 completion 10/31/2022
• Clemens Ferry Road Project (Phase II)
• I-526 widening project (W. Ashley to Mt. P) 2027-2028

• Pilotage Commission

              Pilot Boarding area 3

              Launch service resumed

• SC Ports Authority no report
• Motor carriers – next luncheon May
• CBFFAC –
• 1^ST in person meeting took place at the Hilton Garden Inn, North Charleston on April 14, 2022. Meeting was well attended.

• Guest speakers from Homeland Security Investigations: Jennifer Roman, Acting Resident Agent in Charge and John Hardin, Acting Group Supervisor

• See CBFFAC Meeting minutes posted on our website
• Next Meeting May 12, 2022 11:30 – 1 pm Hilton Garden Inn, North Charleston
• Charleston Port and Seafarers Society

• Vaccination clinics available for all seafarers
• Gangway Goodies! What is needed: Toiletries – non perishable snacks, masks, hand sanitizer, bibles in multiple languages or CASH
• May 7^th, 2022 Waterfront Olympics
• 2022 Golfcart raffle $ 20.00 a ticket