Transport, trade and regulation

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

The latest Transport, trade and regulation News & Analysis

FMC meets with global regulators on shipping bottlenecks

Michael Angell, Associate Editor | Sep 8, 2021, 5:07 PM EDT

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

New approaches needed to stamp out breakbulk pests

Janet Nodar, Senior Editor, Breakbulk and Heavy Lift | Sep 7, 2021, 8:00 AM EDT

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 regulationMaritimeBreakbulk carriersBreakbulk ports

Carriers’ response to FMC complaint highlights contract complexity

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Sep 1, 2021, 12:38 PM EDT

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 regulationMaritimeContainer lines

Biden taps former USDOT official as ‘port envoy’

Michael Angell, Associate Editor | Aug 27, 2021, 11:29 AM EDT

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

China’s shipping dominance fuels political tensions

Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor | Aug 16, 2021, 10:05 AM EDT

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

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

Michael Angell, Associate Editor | Jul 29, 2021, 1:46 PM EDT

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

Regulating detention, demurrage comes with risks

Peter Tirschwell | Jul 28, 2021, 10:00 AM EDT

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

Biden taps ex-longshoreman from Seattle for FMC

Michael Angell, Associate Editor | Jul 26, 2021, 2:31 PM EDT

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

Biden taps ex-longshoreman from Seattle for FMC

Michael Angell, Associate Editor | Jul 26, 2021, 1:47 PM EDT

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

US regulators train sights on container shipping

By Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor, and Peter Tirschwell, Senior Director, Content | Jul 22, 2021, 3:48 PM EDT

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 regulationMaritime

DOT meets with container lines, retailers on US port congestion

JOC Staff | Jun 24, 2021, 2:00 PM EDT

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

House members drafting bill forcing carriers to ship US exports

Michael Angell, Associate Editor | Jun 15, 2021, 5:37 PM EDT

Two members of US Congress want to give the FMC more power to enforce legal cases against ocean carriers that refuse to take export containers in a bid to help US ag shippers.
Transport, trade and regulation

Congress to address port congestion, US export challenges

JOC Staff | Jun 14, 2021, 3:33 PM EDT

A House subcommittee on Tuesday will be the first to address the impact of an unprecedented surge of Asia imports that began in the spring and container lines and ports don’t expect to let up until early 2022 at the soonest.
Container linesTransport, trade and regulation

US importers of low-value containerized goods embrace Section 321

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Jun 7, 2021, 9:00 AM EDT

It’s been difficult to wedge the benefits of ocean freight into the use of US Customs and Border Protection’s duty-free treatment for shipments valued at less than $800, but increased direct-to-consumer volume is changing the math for shippers.
Transport, trade and regulation

Citing congestion, US shipper group calls for Shipping Act update

JOC Staff | May 19, 2021, 2:37 PM EDT

The National Industrial Transportation League said that the Shipping Act needs to be updated to address the many issues that US shippers have faced over the last 10 months.
Transport, trade and regulation

Top US maritime regulator wants to strengthen enforcement

Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor | May 12, 2021, 10:12 AM EDT

Acknowledging the limited authority of the Federal Maritime Commission, new chairman Daniel Maffei wants to take stronger action on so-called unreasonable detention and demurrage.
Transport, trade and regulation

New Southern California pollution rules to hike warehouse costs

Bill Mongelluzzo, Senior Editor | May 10, 2021, 11:58 AM EDT

New pollution rules approved by the Southern California air quality regulatory board are expected to add about 3 percent to the cost of warehouse operations in Southern California, but not result in cargo diversions.
Transport, trade and regulation

FMC to take deeper look at Evergreen detention case

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor | Apr 28, 2021, 2:16 PM EDT

A detention case involving Evergreen Shipping, Yamaha Motor, and a drayage provider is drawing the attention of the Federal Maritime Commission, which is reviewing the application of its detention and demurrage rules.
Transport, trade and regulation

Biden nominates data-centric regulator to head FMCSA

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Apr 14, 2021, 5:24 PM EDT

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.
Transport, trade and regulationTrucking

TPM21: Shippers hunger for near-term progress on decarb goals

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Mar 19, 2021, 12:19 PM EDT

Decarbonization goals at global shippers is pushing the industry toward more granular scrutiny of supply chain-related emissions, a task that’s being helped by emergent technology and a focus on shipper collaboration.
ForwardingContainer linesLogistics technologyTransport, trade and regulation

Houston containership limit may be anti-competitive: FMC commissioners

Michael Angell, Associate Editor | Mar 3, 2021, 3:11 PM EST

The Texas legislation being questioned by two Federal Maritime Commissioners stemmed from concerns among non-container port users that the growing volume of containerships calling Houston are disrupting the ability of other vessels to transit in an efficient manner.
Container linesNorth American portsBreakbulk portsTransport, trade and regulation

Descartes acquires FTZ specialist QuestaWeb

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Mar 1, 2021, 1:16 PM EST

Descartes has acquired foreign trade zone software specialist QuestaWeb as the global trade management solutions market continues to consolidate.
Logistics technologyTransport, trade and regulation

Container lines ordered to explain detention, demurrage assessment

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor | Feb 17, 2021, 3:56 PM EST

The Federal Maritime Commission will take a deep look into the detention and demurrage practices in Southern California and New York and New Jersey, requiring ocean carriers and maritime terminal operators to answer questions about their policies related to importers and exporters.
Transport, trade and regulation

California asks FMC for immediate action on export delays

JOC Staff | Feb 1, 2021, 10:41 AM EST

California’s request for the Federal Maritime Commission to take immediate action on export delays shows political pressure is mounting to deal with Southern California port congestion that began over the summer.
Transport, trade and regulationContainer lines

Colin Barrett, JOC Q&A writer for 48 years, dies at 81

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Jan 14, 2021, 4:55 PM EST

As author of the Q&A column, Colin Barrett answered detailed and often obscure legal questions on shipping for 48 years, educating generations of shippers.
Transport, trade and regulation

US Chamber sees major infrastructure spend within grasp

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Jan 12, 2021, 5:48 PM EST

A new administration and Congress offer a new chance to break infrastructure spending gridlock, the head of the US Chamber of Commerce says. Meanwhile, the American Society of Civil Engineers fixes a $13 trillion two-decade cost on delaying repairs.
Transport, trade and regulation

US Gulf trade momentum puts focus on Houston port channel widening

Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor | Jan 7, 2021, 2:51 PM EST

Federal Maritime Commissioner Carl Bentzel is looking into ways that Houston could handle larger vessels before a widening project is complete, given a Texas law that puts size limits on port calls.
North American portsBreakbulk portsTransport, trade and regulation

DHS to scan 100 percent of inbound cross-border vehicle traffic

Benjamin Meyer, Managing Editor | Jan 7, 2021, 1:20 PM EST

A new law that requires the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop a plan to use X-rays or similar technology to scan all cars, trucks, and freight trains entering the country could cause a flare up of chronic congestion issues at the southern border.
Transport, trade and regulationTruckingRail

AAEI head Rowden departing after 12 years at the helm

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Jan 6, 2021, 11:06 AM EST

Marianne Rowden, the longtime public face of a key importer-exporter lobbying group, is stepping down at the end of March as e-commerce growth makes the interaction between shippers and the public sector all the more vital.
Transport, trade and regulation

EU regulators have limited room to respond to shipper complaints

Greg Knowler, Senior Europe Editor | Jan 5, 2021, 3:21 PM EST

Frustrated shippers and forwarders want European competition authorities to take action against what they have labeled market distorting practices by container carriers.
Transport, trade and regulation

Outlook 2021: New US ‘trusted trader’ programs likely to be mandatory

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Dec 28, 2020, 4:30 PM EST

The as-yet-unfulfilled promise of expedited cargo clearance for shippers under US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) trade facilitation programs may soon come at a cost of compulsory self-regulation
Transport, trade and regulation

Truckers struggle to return empty containers at NY-NJ port

Michael Angell, Special Correspondent | Nov 24, 2020, 8:03 AM EST

The increase in one-way container moves means drivers spend more time waiting on line at different terminals, and running down the hours of service they can legally drive.
North American portsTransport, trade and regulation

Platform helping customs target risky cargo attracts $7 million

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Nov 24, 2020, 6:00 AM EST

New York–based new trade compliance automation startup Altana AI has designs on creating a new version of much-maligned trusted trade cargo facilitations programs.
Logistics technologyTransport, trade and regulation

FMC says it has authority to hear trucking group’s chassis complaint

JOC Staff | Nov 19, 2020, 12:34 PM EST

The US Federal Maritime Commission has rejected an argument from container lines that it lacks the authority to hear the American Trucking Associations’ complaint over so-called merchant haulage moves.
Transport, trade and regulationContainer lines

FMC examining ocean carriers’ demurrage/detention billing

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor | Oct 7, 2020, 5:05 PM EDT

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.
Transport, trade and regulation

Ocean carriers seek to dismiss FMC chassis complaint

Ari Ashe, Senior Editor | Sep 21, 2020, 6:12 PM EDT

Lawyers representing ocean carriers, OCEMA, and CCM have asked the FMC to dismiss ATA’s complaint into chassis, arguing the regulatory body lacks jurisdiction and only cargo owners can bring such a case.
Transport, trade and regulationDrayage

Chinese authorities suggest trans-Pacific carriers add more capacity

Mark Szakonyi, Executive Editor | Sep 11, 2020, 11:01 AM EDT

In what is still very much an evolving scenario, carriers are digesting what they were told by the Chinese government and how it will impact their businesses going forward.
Container linesTransport, trade and regulation

US regulators to test ‘split duty period’ for truckers

William B. Cassidy, Senior Editor | Aug 28, 2020, 5:09 PM EDT

A proposed Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration pilot project would let truck drivers stop the hours of service clock for up to three hours and then resume driving, giving them more control over their schedules, but a longer day.
Transport, trade and regulationTruckingTrucking labor

APL Logistics emissions tool to help shippers navigate speed dilemma

Eric Johnson, Senior Technology Editor | Jul 31, 2020, 9:00 AM EDT

Logistics managers have to negotiate dueling mandates around speed to market and carbon emissions reductions; a new tool from APL Logistics is designed to help them determine which metric is more important.
Logistics technologyTransport, trade and regulation

JOC Uncharted: US ports step up calls for short-term stimulus

Michael Angell, Special Correspondent | Jul 27, 2020, 1:18 PM EDT

New costs related to the COVID-19 crisis and lower revenues due to the pandemic’s effect on cargo volumes are threatening the financial viability of ports across the United States.
North American portsTransport, trade and regulation