Transport, trade and regulation

News and analysis of transport, trade, and regulation, including customs

The latest Transport, trade and regulation News & Analysis

FMC needs to expand to increase monitoring, meet OSRA mandates

Teri Errico Griffis, Associate Editor | Jun 6, 2022, 4:42 PM EDT

The Federal Maritime Commission hopes to increase its team to 160 full-time staff to boost enforcement capabilities and deepen its monitoring of shipping alliances.
Transport, trade and regulation

Wan Hai pays $850,000 fine to settle FMC detention case

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | May 5, 2022, 2:55 PM EDT

For the second time in two weeks, a container line has been assessed a US civil penalty for collecting detention fees last year when it allegedly did not provide drayage providers with a means to return empty containers.
Transport, trade and regulationDrayageContainer linesMaritime

Bentzel wants partial FMC oversight over rail demurrage

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor | Apr 28, 2022, 2:34 PM EDT

Federal Maritime Commissioner Carl Bentzel wants the agency to regulate rail storage fees in certain cases when ocean containers cannot be picked up from an intermodal terminal through no fault of the cargo owner.
Transport, trade and regulation

Hapag-Lloyd hit with $882,220 US civil penalty over detention charges

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Apr 22, 2022, 5:01 PM EDT

The ruling against Hapag-Lloyd could well be a bellwether for future actions against shipping lines relating to what shippers and drayage providers consider unfair assessment of demurrage and detention fees.
Transport, trade and regulationContainer linesMaritime

Empties vs. exports highlights precarious balancing act for US supply chain

Dustin Braden, Shipper Engagement Manager | Apr 14, 2022, 2:52 PM EDT

The matter of empty containers highlights the dizzying complexity of the modern supply chain, wherein gains for drayage truckers and marine terminals can be interpreted as a loss for exporters.
Container linesTransport, trade and regulation

FMC members seek per diem relief over Expeditors cyber-attack

Michael Angell, Associate Editor | Apr 14, 2022, 12:10 PM EDT

Two members of the Federal Maritime Commission say ocean carriers need to tread lightly when assessing per diem container fees that are related to the cyber-attack on forwarder Expeditors.
Transport, trade and regulation

FMC urged to align per diem policy with IANA rules

Michael Angell, Associate Editor | Apr 13, 2022, 5:28 PM EDT

The Intermodal Association of North America said that it has an effective dispute resolution process for per diem container bills that could be disrupted if new federal rules are adopted.
Transport, trade and regulation

Shippers resume complaints to FMC over unfulfilled contract space

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Mar 24, 2022, 3:22 PM EDT

New complaints to the US Federal Maritime Commission over the alleged failure of carriers to move volumes committed in ocean freight contracts suggests shipper frustration with capacity availability and rates remains high.
Transport, trade and regulationContainer lines

FMC probing major liners, ‘pop-up’ carriers on US export service

Michael Angell, Associate Editor | Mar 22, 2022, 1:19 PM EDT

The Federal Maritime Commission is adding the availability of export capacity to its ongoing scrutiny of how ocean carriers are operating in the US.
Transport, trade and regulation

US lawmakers take aim at ocean carriers with shipping reform push

Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor | Mar 18, 2022, 10:16 AM EDT

Democratic senators took the opportunity of a recent committee meeting to drill FMC Chairman Daniel Maffei on sky-high freight rates charged by ocean carriers amid declining service levels.
Transport, trade and regulationContainer lines

TPM22: COVID-linked labor disruption driving massive wage inflation: Cohn

Karen Robes Meeks | Feb 28, 2022, 4:26 PM EST

The millions of open jobs that US employers are struggling to fill has led to significant wage inflation in the two years since the COVID-19 pandemic arrived on US shores, the former director of the National Economic Council told TPM22.
Transport, trade and regulation

DOJ to lend FMC antitrust expertise amid enhanced collaboration

Michael Angell, Associate Editor | Feb 25, 2022, 5:32 PM EST

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

US DOT says port grants doubled for 2022

Michael Angell, Associate Editor | Feb 23, 2022, 3:58 PM EST

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

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

Peter Tirschwell | Feb 17, 2022, 5:36 PM EST

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

FMC seeks input on proposed per-diem fee rules

Michael Angell, Associate Editor | Feb 7, 2022, 1:21 PM EST

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

Senate bill propels US shipping reform forward

Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor | Feb 3, 2022, 6:43 PM EST

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

US regulatory, legislative push on container shipping advancing steadily

Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor | Feb 2, 2022, 2:51 PM EST

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

Proposed legislation would tighten US de minimis rules

Michael Angell, Associate Editor | Jan 24, 2022, 2:34 PM EST

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

Outlook 2022: US chassis supply fragile heading into new year

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor | Dec 29, 2021, 11:26 AM EST

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.
MaritimeTruckingTransport, trade and regulation

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

Greg Knowler, Senior Europe Editor | Dec 28, 2021, 4:35 PM EST

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

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

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Dec 23, 2021, 12:15 PM EST

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

US cabinet secretaries ask carriers for more Oakland, Portland calls

Michael Angell, Associate Editor | Dec 17, 2021, 3:15 PM EST

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

Ocean shipping reform brings new type of disruption

Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor | Dec 13, 2021, 12:05 PM EST

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

FMC urged to think globally on data-sharing initiative

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Dec 8, 2021, 4:38 PM EST

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

Decarbonization must remain a priority despite supply chain issues

Peter Tirschwell | Nov 19, 2021, 8:00 AM EST

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

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

Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor | Nov 9, 2021, 4:14 PM EST

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

Truck drivers likely exempt from vaccine mandate: ATA

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Nov 8, 2021, 2:18 PM EST

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 regulationTrucking

US supply chain participants offer solutions to logistics woes

Michael Angell, Associate Editor | Oct 25, 2021, 5:39 PM EDT

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

Customs seeks to streamline cargo clearance processes

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor | Oct 20, 2021, 4:32 PM EDT

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

FMC’s scope in shipping crisis limited: Maffei

Michael Angell, Associate Editor | Oct 18, 2021, 10:25 AM EDT

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

Western countries waking up to freight infrastructure needs: DHL CEO

Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor | Oct 14, 2021, 3:41 PM EDT

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 regulationMaritime

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

Peter Tirschwell | Oct 1, 2021, 11:05 AM EDT

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 regulationMaritime

NITL appoints new chief amid shipping reform push

Michael Angell, Associate Editor | Sep 30, 2021, 1:57 PM EDT

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

Drawbacks of email at center of Mohawk-MSC demurrage fight

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Sep 29, 2021, 2:58 PM EDT

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 regulationLogistics technologyDrayage

Two FMC cases test limits on detention and demurrage

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor | Sep 22, 2021, 11:13 AM EDT

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

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

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor | Sep 20, 2021, 3:48 PM EDT

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

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

Michael Angell, Associate Editor | Sep 17, 2021, 1:37 PM EDT

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

FMC votes in favor of enhanced carrier oversight

Michael Angell, Associate Editor | Sep 15, 2021, 4:10 PM EDT

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

Shipping Act rewrite postponed until late 2021: congressman

JOC Staff | Sep 13, 2021, 4:18 PM EDT

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

Major US importers, exporters join FMC shipper advisory group

JOC Staff | Sep 9, 2021, 4:20 PM EDT

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