News
The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has approved a Supplemental Order that expands the authority of a fact finding investigation into ''International Ocean Transportation Supply Chain Engagement''. The order authorizes Commissioner Rebecca F. Dye, as the designated Fact Finding Officer, to investigate ocean carriers operating in alliances and calling the Port of Long Beach, the Port of Los Angeles, or the Port of New York and New Jersey.
The expanded commission investigation will seek to determine if the policies and practices of those shipping companies related to detention and demurrage, container return, and container availability for U.S. export cargoes violate general prohibitions of the Shipping Act of 1984.
The Order emphasizes that the Fact Finding Officer has all enforcement options at her disposal to address the crisis that exists in U.S. major port gateways.
The regulatory agency is concerned that certain practices of ocean carriers and their marine terminals may be amplifying the negative effect of bottlenecks at these ports and may be contrary to provisions in the Shipping Act.
''The potentially unreasonable practices of carriers and marine terminals regarding container return, export containers, and demurrage and detention charges in the Ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, and New York/New Jersey present a serious risk to the ability of the United States to handle trade growth,'' Commissioner Dye said.
''Removing the obstacles to port performance allows ocean carriers, ports and marine terminals, drayage truckers, American importers and exporters, and every other business engaged in freight delivery to grow and prosper,'' she added.
