12 Customs Compliance Best Practices to Avoid Penalties in 2026
Global trade regulations are getting more restrictive, and customs authorities are tightening up. In 2026, your company can’t afford to let compliance become an afterthought.
-
-
Letter from the CEO: 2026 Trade & Supply Chain Strategy
2026 is shaping up to be a year where supply chain strategy and trade planning are more interconnected than ever.
-
In-House Duty Drawback vs Outsourcing to Specialists
If your business is involved in international trade, duty drawback can be a game-changer. Duty drawback is a government program that refunds certain duties, taxes, and fees paid on imported goods that are subsequently exported or destroyed. Your business can recover significant amounts that go right back to the bottom line. Before you can do that, though, you have to decide whether to manage duty drawback internally or outsource it to seasoned specialists.
-
ATA Carnet: The Ultimate Passport for Goods
Paying import duties and taxes can add unnecessary burdens on you or your company. Importing items can also hold up your merchandise in port. However, if you’re a company that sends certain goods internationally, you could reduce the costs of import duties if the item will be in a foreign country for less than a year.
-
Letter from the CEO: Tariff Increases on Imports from South Korea
Trade relationships can shift quickly, and recent updates around potential tariff increases on imports from South Korea are a good reminder of that reality.
-
TSCA Compliance for Importers: A Practical Guide to the Toxic Substances Control Act
U.S. import regulations are notoriously complex, particularly when they involve chemical substances. If your business imports chemicals (or products that contain them), one of the most daunting regulations is the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). Noncompliance with TSCA can lead to significant financial penalties, costly shipment delays — and irreparable damage to your company’s reputation.
-
Checklist: What to Ask Your Freight Forwarder and Customs Broker
Navigating customs and logistics is complex and costly, but a partner with the right expertise changes everything. An experienced partner lowers risks, maximizes refunds, and keeps your cargo moving seamlessly. Don’t leave compliance or cash flow to chance.
-
Freight Market Update – January 2026
The global freight market began 2026 with a brief surge in ocean freight rates following a General Rate Increase (GRI). Rates climbed more than 20 percent in a single week, but the increase quickly unraveled as carriers faced resistance from the market and struggled to secure bookings at higher levels.
-
HTS Classification Guidelines: Get Your Tariff Codes Right
HST classification guidelines are becoming increasingly important. With stricter customer enforcement, frequent trade and regulatory updates, evolving global trade policies, and the rise of AI-powered auditing systems, accurate classification is essential.
-
J.M. Rodgers’ 2025 Green Initiatives: Growing Impact, Shrinking Footprint
At J.M. Rodgers, we aim to weave sustainability into everyday decisions across our business.
-
Incoterms 2020 Explained: 11 Shipping Terms Every Importer Must Know
If global trade were a jigsaw puzzle with pieces including contract negotiating, navigating customs, and shipping logistics, Incoterms 2020 would be the instructions on the puzzle box.
-
Giving Back in 2025: A Year Rooted in Care, Health, and Community
As we look back on 2025, we are proud of how our philanthropic efforts continued to evolve with purpose and care.
-
JMR Trade Alert: Court Allows Liquidation of IEEPA Tariff Entries While Preserving Potential Refund Rights
The U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) has issued an important ruling regarding the treatment of entries subject to tariffs imposed under the International…
-
Customs Broker vs Freight Forwarder: Key Differences & When You Need Both
If you ship goods internationally, chances are you’ve heard the terms customs broker and freight forwarder.
-
Freight Market Update – December 2025
December demand is expected to be the lowest since mid-2023 as tariff uncertainty keeps imports muted and inventories remain well stocked from earlier front-loading. Carriers are managing capacity with blank sailings across PSW, PNW, and USEC lanes to support January GRIs, while congestion persists in key Asia ports and airfreight rates rise on strong e-commerce volumes.
-
Ocean Freight Market Update – November 2025
Trans-Pacific rates fluctuate as GRIs, easing USWC rollovers, blank sailings, and new U.S.–China trade talks shape the November 2025 freight market.
-
Ocean Freight Market Update – October 2025
The Trans-Pacific freight market faces mounting volatility as new GRIs take effect and a proposed 100% U.S. import tariff on Chinese goods looms. Carriers are blanking 14% of capacity while pre-tariff bookings surge, creating port congestion and schedule disruptions. New U.S. port fees on Chinese vessels and China’s retaliatory measures add further complexity heading into Q4.
-
White House Issues New Section 232 Tariffs on Wood Products – But Drawback Remains Eligible
The White House has announced new Section 232 tariffs on timber, lumber, and wood products, citing risks to U.S. mills, supply chains, and infrastructure needs. Tariffs range from 10% on softwood lumber to as high as 50% on cabinetry by 2026. Importantly, the proclamation confirms that duty drawback remains eligible, allowing importers who re-export qualifying products to recover up to 99% of duties paid.
-
Freight Market Update – September 2025
Carriers drove rates higher this month with GRIs up $800–$900/FEU, pushing Asia–USWC spot rates up nearly 21% week-over-week. Demand remains weak, with U.S. bookings down 20%, while Golden Week blank sailings and growing congestion at Shanghai, Ningbo, and Qingdao are tightening space further.
Meanwhile, alliances are slashing October capacity, and the USTR extended Section 301 tariff exclusions through Nov 2025—offering importers some relief amid ongoing volatility.
-
Supreme Court to Review Legality of IEEPA Tariffs
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear two cases this November challenging the legality of tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The ruling could reshape presidential tariff authority and may impact duties paid under trafficking and reciprocal tariff programs. Importers should continue to monitor developments while maintaining documentation for potential duty drawback opportunities.
-
Duty Drawback: Even More Important in the New Tariff Era
A new era has dawned for US businesses as the nation’s tariffs on imported foreign goods now stand near the 20% mark, their…
-
Freight Market Update – August 2025
The Transpacific shipping market remains soft, with spot rates down 3.3% and no peak season in sight. New U.S. tariffs, tropical storm delays in China, and slowing bookings are shaping the months ahead. Capacity utilization has dropped to its lowest since April, while a brief September surge is possible before China’s Golden Week shutdowns.
-
New 25% Tariff on India for Russian Oil Imports – Duty Drawback Still Eligible
President Trump has imposed a new 25% IEEPA Russian Oil tariff on all goods from India effective August 27, 2025, with duty drawback still available for eligible re-exports and destroyed goods.
-
CBP Issues Guidance for New Reciprocal Tariffs Effective August 7th
CBP has issued detailed guidance on the implementation of reciprocal tariffs under the Executive Order signed July 31.
