The Federal Maritime Commission said it is taking steps toward addressing detention and demurrage bills that US shippers and truckers are facing.

The Federal Maritime Commission is meeting with global regulators as part of its regularly scheduled conferences regarding issues facing the container shipping industry.

A New York City regulator who established a minimum wage for app-based rideshare drivers has been nominated to head the US truck safety watchdog agency.

The FMC will look into whether ocean carriers are incorrectly holding truckers, third-party logistics, and freight forwarders responsible for penalties that should be paid by the shipper.

The US Federal Maritime Commission is signaling to the industry that the fairness of detention and demurrage fees should be viewed through a lens of whether they encourage the pickup of import containers and return of empties.

The long-promised National Freight Strategic Plan should be about more than highways, groups representing US ports and shippers said this week. The question still is how to pay for freight priorities.

The US Surface Transportation Board is urging railroads to work closely with shippers to address concerns about demurrage practices.

Container vessel on-time performance could degrade even further as carriers remove ships from service to install equipment that “scrubs” harmful sulfur particles from ship exhaust in lieu of burning low-sulfur fuel.

Although the industry is unlikely to see another all-encompassing fiat like IMO 2020, the International Maritime Organization's (IMO’s) ambition is to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from international shipping to 50 percent of 2008 levels by the year 2050, and to someday eliminate the fleet's GHG emissions entirely.

A survey conducted by global shipping consultancy Drewry found considerable unease among global shippers and forwarders ahead of the low-sulfur fuel implementation. Concern was expressed by respondents about ocean carriers’ methods of fuel cost recovery with more than half, 56 percent, stating that they did not consider their service providers’ existing approaches as either fair or transparent.

Europe’s rail and truck transport systems are at a pivotal moment. The two could complement each other and help meet the likely 30 percent increase in European cargo expected by 2030. However, turf protecting could still rule the day, especially if rail views truck platooning as a threat.

This is known: in less than 18 months, the container shipping industry will be hit with a massive annual operating bill in the billions of dollars. What is less known is how the costs will be passed along to shippers, and how ocean carriers will adjust, both in terms of capital investment and operations.

Decision makers in Europe are getting a little concerned about China's surging investment in the continent's strategic sectors; still, the investment pace is not likely to slow soon.

Authorities are working toward a “hub-and-spoke system” for domestic cargo distribution through private participation.

Indian authorities handling the upgrade of the Chabahar port in Iran plan to team up with a local company.

As non-vessel operating common carriers have expanded their market share, so has pressure to ease restrictions on their ability to offer customized rate and service packages.

Indian efforts to make it easier to do business in the country paid off Tuesday.