Texas shipper settles antiboycott charges

Texas shipper settles antiboycott charges    The U.S. Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security said a Dallas-based oil and gas services firm has agreed to pay a $10,800 civil penalty to settle allegations that it violated the country's antiboycott rules on two occasions.
   BIS's Office of Antiboycott Compliance alleged that in 2004, in connection with two letters of credit involving the sale and transfer of goods destined to Iraq that were shipped through the United Arab Emirates, Messina Inc. provided a U.S. bank two certificates signed by the agent for a vessel that attested to the vessel's eligibility to call at the port of a boycotting country.
   The agency said that in doing so Messina supplied information concerning other persons known or believed to be restricted from having any business relationship with or in a boycotting country, in violation of the Export Administration Regulations' antiboycott provisions.
   The EAR's antiboycott provisions prohibit U.S. persons from taking certain actions with the intent to comply with, further, or support unsanctioned foreign boycotts, including supplying information about business relationships with or in a boycotted country or with blacklisted persons.
   'The Department of Commerce will continue to aggressively enforce its regulations prohibiting U.S. companies from taking any action in support of restrictive trade practices or unsanctioned boycotts,' said David Mills, assistant secretary of commerce for export enforcement, in a statement.