Agriculture Transportation Coalition

FMC tightens rules on charging container late fees

The Federal Maritime Commission has imposed new billing standards on ocean carriers and terminal operators in an effort to crack down on abusive container late fees.

The new requirements focus on demurrage — fees charged by carriers and container terminals when full containers have not been picked up by customers within a certain number of days — and detention, the fees charged to customers if they are late returning the empty container back to the terminal.

Starting May 26, container ship...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fmc-tightens-rules-on-charging-container-late-fees

Ocean carriers warn FMC against regulating prices

WASHINGTON — Revisions made to a proposed rule aimed at curbing the ability of container ship carriers to refuse to provide vessel space to their customers has delved into the dangerous area of price regulation, according to the carriers.

In a rulemaking proposed last year, the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission attempted to define what is an “unreasonable refusal to deal or negotiate” the vessel space that carriers provide for their customers’ containers.

After both carriers and shippers took issue

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/ocean-carriers-warn-fmc-against-regulating-prices

LA-LB outlook darkens as labor unrest briefly shutters ports

The Port of Los Angeles’ sales pitch to importers in recent months has been: We have plenty of capacity now. No more ship queues. The port labor contract expired July 1, 2022, but there has been no major disruption to imports during negotiations. No need to ship your goods all the way through the Panama Canal to the East or Gulf coasts. Come back to LA!

That sales pitch, to the extent it ever worked, died on Friday.

LA/LB closed for 24 hours

Terminal operations at the ports of Los Angeles and Long...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/lalb-outlook-darkens-as-labor-unrest-briefly-shutters-ports

Exporters raise concerns about ocean carrier market power

WASHINGTON — U.S. exporters called on Congress to introduce more economic reforms in ocean transportation and increase the pressure on carriers that abuse their market power.

Representing those exporters in front of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee on Tuesday, Agriculture Transportation Coalition Executive Director Peter Friedmann acknowledged cargo volume surges and supply chain disruptions have dissipated and that there’s currently “plenty of competition” among container ship operators for...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/exporters-raise-concerns-about-ocean-carrier-market-power

Concern rising over US West Coast labor pact

Uncertainty caused by almost eight months without a labor contract on the U.S. West Coast is resulting in investment decisions that could alter supply chains and end up costing the ocean carriers customers, according to a shipper lobbyist.

“We’re seeing some investments being made at East and Gulf Coast ports due to one factor — the uncertainty of what’s going to happen” with [West Coast labor],” said Peter Friedmann, executive director of the Agriculture Transportation Coalition (AgTC).

Speaking...

Feds gives shippers new power to dispute ocean carrier charges

Long Beach Container Terminal

New guidance issued by federal regulators aimed at fighting unreasonable ocean carrier charges is short on detail but long on historic importance, according to a U.S. exporter group.

The advisory enacts provisions of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 (OSRA), signed into law last month, by providing a simplified process for container carrier customers who want the Federal Maritime Commission to investigate their complaints.

“Today is a landmark moment in the history of the Federal Maritime...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/feds-gives-shippers-new-power-to-dispute-ocean-carrier-charges

Congress passes ocean shipping reform; Biden plans to sign soon

Container vessel at Port of Los Angeles

The first major overhaul of regulations governing U.S. container trades since 1998 was easily approved by Congress on Monday and President Biden is expected to sign the bill into law shortly.

By a vote of 369-42, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Ocean Shipping Reform Act (OSRA) of 2022, which is the Senate’s version of a reform bill passed by the House in December.

The legislation, which broadens the powers of the Federal Maritime Commission to address unfair business practices on the...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/congress-passes-ocean-shipping-reform-biden-plans-to-sign-soon

Biden slams ocean carriers ahead of Port of LA speech

Biden speaking at White House and flanked by photos of container ships

Ahead of President Joe Biden’s planned speech at the Port of Los Angeles on Friday, the White House released a video of the president on a phone call with retailers who were complaining about the high cost of ocean shipping.

“One of the big reasons why prices are going up is the cost of shipping things across the Pacific, in particular,” Biden says during the call. “There’s only nine major ocean line shipping companies who ship from Asia to the United States. These companies have raised their...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/biden-slams-ocean-carriers-ahead-of-port-of-la-speech

Werner exempted from driver training provision

Werner Enterprises was granted more flexibility to seat drivers faster based on an exemption approved by federal regulators.

In a notice scheduled to be published on Thursday, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration ruled that Werner (NASDAQ: WERN) will not be required to have its commercial learner’s permit (CLP) holders accompanied by commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders in the passenger seat.

Werner requested the exemption to allow its driver trainees who passed the CDL skills...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/werner-exempted-from-driver-training-provision

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