The Office of Foreign Assets Control announces the designation of six shipping companies affiliated with the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) pursuant to Executive Order 13382, which prohibits transactions with and freezes the assets of proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their supporters. OFAC has designated Panama/Iran-based companies Galliot Maritime Inc., Indus Maritime Inc., Kaveri Maritime Inc., Melodious Maritime, Inc., Mount Everest Maritime, Inc., and Rishi Maritime, Inc. In a second notice, OFAC is adding one vessel, Iran Shahr-E-Kord, and updating the information for 14 other vessels. In a third notice, OFAC is updating the information for Soroush Sarzamin Asatir Ship Management Company. The actions in all three notices are effective October 27, 2011.
On November 21, 2011, the Office of Foreign Assets Control added ten entities and one individual to its "Specially Designated Nationals" List. SDNs are (i) individuals and companies owned or controlled by, or acting for or on behalf of, targeted countries or (ii) individuals, groups, and entities, such as terrorists and narcotics traffickers designated under programs that are not country-specific. The assets of listed SDNs are blocked and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from dealing with them.
Export.gov has announced that registration is available for a number of upcoming export-based webinars.
The Bureau of Industry and Security has issued an order regarding a Settlement Agreement with Xun Wang to settle allegations that Wang committed one violation of the Export Administration Regulations. (BIS alleged that Wang conspired to bring about the export of epoxy paint and epoxy paint thinner to Pakistan, through China, in violation of the EAR.) Under the order, Wang is assessed a civil penalty in the amount of $250,000 ($50,000 of which would be suspended for a period of five years and waived if no further violations are committed), denied export privileges for a 10 year period (five of which would be suspended, and eventually waived, if the civil penalty has been paid and no further violations have been committed).
On November 21, 2011, the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls updated its master country names and country codes list in accordance with the changes in geopolitical definitions of states. As a result, for all forms where users can select a country (DSP-2032, -5, -6, -61, -62, -73, -74, -85, and Batch (Common schema)), the country lists are updated to add new countries, remove expired countries, and update the names of countries whose names are changed. Earlier versions of these eight DSP Forms are no longer accepted as a result. The affected systems are DT2e and DTAS Online.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control has issued a November 18, 2011 updated list of all currently authorized Carrier Service Providers, Travel Service Providers, and Remittance Forwarders for Cuba.
The Bureau of Industry and Security announced that the Regulations and Procedures Technical Advisory Committee (RPTAC) will hold a partially open meeting on December 7, 2011. The public session's agenda will include an export enforcement update, regulations update, working group reports, an Automated Export System update, and presentations of papers or comments by the public. The open session will be accessible via teleconference to 20 participants on a first come, first serve basis. A limited number of seats will be available for the public session.
The Department of State is proposing to amend the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) to further implement the Defense Trade Cooperation Treaties between the U.S. and Australia and the U.S. and the United Kingdom, and to identify via a supplement the defense articles and defense services that may not be exported pursuant to the Treaties. Additionally, State proposes to amend the section pertaining to the existing Canadian exemption to reference the new supplement, and proposes to add Israel to the list of countries and entities that have a shorter Congressional certification time period and a higher dollar value reporting threshold.
On November 17, 2011, the Office of Foreign Assets Control issued new General License No. 5 under the Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferators Sanctions Regulations. The new license authorizes certain transactions related to the arrest, detention, and judicial sale of the MV Dianthe (f.k.a. Horsham, f.k.a. Iran Bam, IMO No. 9323833), which is a vessel on OFAC’s Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons list. The vessel is currently under arrest in Mundra, India.
On November 18, 2011, the Office of Foreign Assets Control removed 41 companies from its "Specially Designated Nationals" List pursuant to Libya General Licenses 7A and 8A. OFAC also issued General License No. 9 in order to remove the General National Maritime Transport Company. SDNs are (i) individuals and companies owned or controlled by, or acting for or on behalf of, targeted countries or (ii) individuals, groups, and entities, such as terrorists and narcotics traffickers designated under programs that are not country-specific. The assets of listed SDNs are blocked and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from dealing with them.