Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

Discover the news and analysis of supply chain strategies, sourcing and trends covered by the Journal of Commerce. Comprehensive coverage includes customs, trade news, transport news and the latest information about trade regulations. 

The latest Transport, Trade, and Regulation News News & Analysis

DOJ to lend FMC antitrust expertise amid enhanced collaboration

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
The US Federal Maritime Commission and Department of Justice outlined additional resource sharing as part of their efforts to police container shipping.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

US DOT says port grants doubled for 2022

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
The US Department of Transportation said that it has nearly doubled the amount of grant money it had last year to support port improvement projects through the US.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

New federal office will continue Porcari’s battle against US port congestion

Peter Tirschwell |
Although White House Port Envoy John Porcari is stepping down from leading the White House’s intervention in port operations, the administration will continue to push for short- and long-term fixes for port congestion.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

FMC seeks input on proposed per-diem fee rules

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
The Federal Maritime Commission is looking for comments over the next month about how it can make detention and demurrage billing more transparent, accurate, and timely.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

Senate bill propels US shipping reform forward

Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor |
The Senate’s Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 calls for container lines and terminal operators to validate container storage fees while strengthening their common carriage responsibilities.
Container linesTransport, Trade, and Regulation News

US regulatory, legislative push on container shipping advancing steadily

Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor |
The impact of investigations by the Federal Maritime Commission into container shipping — driven by new leadership and pressure from the White House — pales in comparison to fast-moving reform legislation making its way through Congress.
Container linesTransport, Trade, and Regulation News

Proposed legislation would tighten US de minimis rules

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
A bill in the US House of Representatives is looking to restrict the number of US importers that can ship goods duty-free by keeping below the $800 threshold for so-called de minimis shipments.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

Outlook 2022: US chassis supply fragile heading into new year

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor |
Although the US supply chain is in desperate need of more chassis, it will take a while longer before enough chassis are injected into the market to make a notable difference.
MaritimeTrucking NewsTransport, Trade, and Regulation News

Outlook 2022: Shipping needs state support, R&D to reach decarbonization targets

Greg Knowler, Senior Europe Editor |
Despite the urgency around decarbonizing one of the world’s most polluting industries, the IMO continues to struggle to achieve consensus on the way forward among its 175 member states.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

Outlook 2022: Automation key to CBP’s facilitation of rising low-value shipments

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
Clearing an unprecedented number of low-value shipments driven by cross-border e-commerce will require US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to leverage automation.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

US cabinet secretaries ask carriers for more Oakland, Portland calls

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
The US secretaries of Transportation and Agriculture are urging ocean carriers to bring more ships to Oakland and Portland so agriculture shippers can get their products to market.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

Ocean shipping reform brings new type of disruption

Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor |
The drive by the federal government to address short-term supply chain pressures — most notably through fast-moving legislation that would reshape US container shipping regulation — would foster major long-term changes.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

FMC urged to think globally on data-sharing initiative

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
An effort by the US Federal Maritime Commission to facilitate data sharing in supply chains needs to be global in nature and focused around resolving data conflicts between carriers and terminals, experts said.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

Decarbonization must remain a priority despite supply chain issues

Peter Tirschwell |
Near-term operational issues make it difficult for supply chain leaders to focus on climate change, but scientific reports are driving greater urgency to achieve fully decarbonized operations.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

Container lines ask FMC to delay action on LA-LB port tariffs

Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor |
The World Shipping Council, representing major container lines, is asking federal maritime regulators to hold off on weighing on new Southern California port tariffs until the fees have been implemented on Nov. 15.
Container linesTransport, Trade, and Regulation News

Truck drivers likely exempt from vaccine mandate: ATA

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor |
An exemption to the US’ large employer vaccine mandate granted to outdoor workers may cover truck drivers, the American Trucking Association argues. But it’s not clear that exemption would apply to all types of truck drivers.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation NewsTrucking News

US supply chain participants offer solutions to logistics woes

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
Stakeholders agree the US logistics sector is facing its biggest strains ever due to high consumer demand and inventory restocking after COVID-19.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

Customs seeks to streamline cargo clearance processes

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor |
US Customs and Border Protection is stepping up its efforts to reduce port congestion amid record imports by working with customs brokers to target illegal shipments, thereby freeing up staff and resources to expedite clearance of legitimate imports.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

FMC’s scope in shipping crisis limited: Maffei

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
FMC Chairman Daniel Maffei said the agency is still investigating issues around surprise surcharges and hopes to lay out better rules on detention and demurrage soon.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

Western countries waking up to freight infrastructure needs: DHL CEO

Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor |
Worsening port congestion is forcing western governments to realize that strong infrastructure is crucial to global trade and that migration rules need to be eased in order to fill supply chain jobs.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation NewsMaritime

OSRA 2021 could strengthen contracting without reverting to ‘common carriage’

Peter Tirschwell |
If passed into law as currently written, the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2021 would bring about the most profound changes to maritime contracting since the 1998 version by allowing the government to weigh in on what constitutes a “reasonable” agreement.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation NewsMaritime

NITL appoints new chief amid shipping reform push

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
The National Industrial Transportation League said that it will get a new executive director as it ends a management services agreement with an outside organization.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

Drawbacks of email at center of Mohawk-MSC demurrage fight

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
A demurrage dispute between a New York customs broker and Mediterranean Shipping Co. unmasks the degree to which key communication of shipment milestones is overly reliant on email.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation NewsLogistics Technology NewsDrayage

Two FMC cases test limits on detention and demurrage

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor |
Two cases before the Federal Maritime Commission will test the limits of the regulator’s interpretative rule on detention and demurrage penalties.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

US Shipping Act reform would worsen supply chain woes: carriers, terminals

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor |
Ocean carriers, terminal operators, and stevedores have joined to fight against the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2021, arguing the bill will cause detention and demurrage to increase and further constrain the supply chain.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

CMA CGM, Fenix Marine named in shipper’s FMC complaint

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
A Brazilian wood importer is the latest shipper to strike back with a Federal Maritime Commission complaint that alleges unfair treatment from CMA CGM and Fenix Marine.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

FMC votes in favor of enhanced carrier oversight

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
The Federal Maritime Commission said it is taking steps toward addressing detention and demurrage bills that US shippers and truckers are facing.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

Shipping Act rewrite postponed until late 2021: congressman

JOC Staff |
A US Congressman said other legislative priorities will delay any regulatory relief for US importers and exporters until well after peak season, despite growing calls for more immediate ocean carrier oversight.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

Major US importers, exporters join FMC shipper advisory group

JOC Staff |
As part of the National Shipper Advisory Committee, the likes of Wal-Mart, Amazon, and DuPont will give guidance to the Federal Maritime Commission as the federal agency steps up its monitoring of the industry.
Container linesTransport, Trade, and Regulation News

FMC meets with global regulators on shipping bottlenecks

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
The Federal Maritime Commission is meeting with global regulators as part of its regularly scheduled conferences regarding issues facing the container shipping industry.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

New approaches needed to stamp out breakbulk pests

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift |
Controlling dangerous wood-boring pests in wood packaging material will require more consistent enforcement across the US and helping the private sector learn how to look for these pests themselves.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation NewsMaritimeBreakbulk carriersBreakbulk ports

Carriers’ response to FMC complaint highlights contract complexity

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor |
The responses of two major carriers to an importer’s complaint to the US Federal Maritime Commission underscores the difficulty in using a regulatory avenue to settle contract disputes.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation NewsMaritimeContainer lines

Biden taps former USDOT official as ‘port envoy’

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
The White House named a former deputy secretary for the Department of Transportation to work with ports and related businesses to find ways to relieve the port congestion seen across the US.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

China’s shipping dominance fuels political tensions

Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor |
Increased infrastructure investment and regulation may help the US regain some of the economic ground it has lost in competing against China.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

FMC’s Bentzel cautions on China dominance in chassis, container supply

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
Federal Maritime Commissioner Carl Bentzel is looking into China’s dominance of intermodal equipment manufacturing as a potential risk area for shippers and carriers.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

Regulating detention, demurrage comes with risks

Peter Tirschwell |
The proposed Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2021 could restrain carriers from imposing legitimate detention and demurrage fees, undermining the goal of systemwide container fluidity.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

Biden taps ex-longshoreman from Seattle for FMC

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
The Biden administration has nominated a former longshoreman and state representative from the state of Washington to replace Michael Khouri on the US Federal Maritime Commission.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

Biden taps ex-longshoreman from Seattle for FMC

Michael Angell, Associate Editor |
The Biden administration has nominated a former longshoreman and state representative from the state of Washington to replace Michael Khouri on the US Federal Maritime Commission.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation News

US regulators train sights on container shipping

By Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor, and Peter Tirschwell, Senior Director, Content |
The Biden administration is wading into ocean regulatory waters via an executive order, upping pressure on maritime regulators to crack down on illegal behavior and work more closely with the Department of Justice.
Transport, Trade, and Regulation NewsMaritime

DOT meets with container lines, retailers on US port congestion

JOC Staff |
The US Department of Transportation met with groups representing major container lines and retailers, and officials say they are looking at solutions to mitigate the capacity crunch causing port congestion.
Container linesTransport, Trade, and Regulation News