Daniel Maffei

Maritime regulator signs first-ever competition agreement with Justice Department

The Federal Maritime Commission and the antitrust division of the Department of Justice have signed an agreement to sharpen economic oversight of foreign ocean carriers serving in the U.S. international container trades.

The first-ever memorandum of understanding between the two agencies, signed on Monday, follows President Joe Biden’s executive order issued on Friday aimed at curbing potential anticompetitive behavior among 72 industries, including the maritime and freight rail sectors.

“The...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/maritime-regulator-signs-first-ever-competition-agreement-with-justice-department

FMC onboard for Biden’s ocean carrier ‘crackdown’

Federal Maritime Commission Chairman Daniel Maffei has welcomed a White House executive order calling on the Justice Department to help the FMC investigate and potentially fine ocean carriers charging shippers unreasonable rates and fees.

President Joe Biden’s executive order, announced on Thursday, also urges the Surface Transportation Board to allow shippers to challenge inflated rates more easily when there’s no competition between routes.

“A lot of American companies rely on railroads to ship...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/fmc-onboard-for-bidens-ocean-carrier-crackdown

Vessel group rejects allegations of threats against US exporters

U.S. exporters should not fear payback from container lines if they complain to the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) about excessive cargo fees or canceled contracts, according to the carriers’ representative in Washington.

“I categorically reject the idea that shippers are being threatened with retaliation for bringing complaints — I don’t buy that,” John Butler, president and CEO of the World Shipping Council, which represents most of the world’s container ship fleet, told lawmakers.

Testifying...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/vessel-group-rejects-allegations-of-threats-against-us-exporters

Congress drafting law barring ocean carriers from refusing US exports

Bipartisan legislation being drafted by members of the U.S. House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee (House T&I) would require ocean carriers to accept all U.S. export container bookings.

The legislation, to be proposed by John Garamendi, D-Calif., and Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., is in response to mounting complaints by U.S. agricultural shippers that unscrupulous business practices by foreign container ship operators are causing them to lose money and market share overseas.

“We’ve got a...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/congress-drafting-law-barring-ocean-carriers-from-refusing-u-s-exports

Exclusive: AgTC submits proposals to address ocean shipping crisis

Just days before a critical hearing before the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation about the crisis facing American importers, the Agriculture Transportation Coalition (AgTC) has submitted three legislative proposals to enforce the carriage of trade and excessive penalties U.S. importers are being charged by foreign carriers, American Shipper has learned.

The proposals were sent to the Federal Maritime Commission, as well as representatives on the Senate and House committees...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/exclusive-agtc-submits-proposals-to-address-ocean-shipping-crisis

Viewpoint: Is Yantian next pothole on maritime superhighway?

Supply chains around the world are about to experience another hiccup. 

Yantian, serving 100 ships weekly as one of the busiest ports in the world, has been partially shut for the past week because of a COVID-19 outbreak. Given that Yantian processed 13.34 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in 2020, this slowdown will further hit lean and struggling supply chains.

Out of an abundance of caution, carriers like Maersk extended the suspension of vessels into the ports from May 31-June 6. In...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/viewpoint-is-yantian-next-pothole-on-maritime-superhighway

Ag industry’s letter to Buttigieg urges immediate action on export problem

The U.S. agriculture industry is pressuring the Department of Transportation for immediate intervention in foreign-owned carriers’ denial of U.S. ag exports in favor of sending back empty containers to be filled with Chinese exports. 

In a letter sent to Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Monday that was shared with American Shipper, almost 300 agriculture and forest product companies demanded the secretary intervene to protect U.S. exporters. 

“We are hopeful the secretary will act upon this urgent...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/ag-industrys-letter-to-buttigieg-urges-immediate-action-on-export-problem

First interview with new Federal Maritime Commission chairman

Earlier this week, President Joe Biden tapped Daniel B. Maffei to become chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission. Maffei, who had been an FMC commissioner, replaces previous Chairman Michael A. Khouri.

Maffei’s appointment comes at a time of massive disruption in the world of trade. The list of challenges is long and costly: historic volume clogging ports, U.S. exports being denied by the carriers in favor of empty containers, costly detention and demurrage fees, and the persistent urging of...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/first-interview-with-new-federal-maritime-commission-chairman

Biden picks Maffei to chair Federal Maritime Commission

President Joe Biden has named Daniel Maffei, a commissioner on the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), to lead the agency as chairman.

Maffei replaces Michael Khouri, who had been designated chairman by former President Donald Trump.

Maffei acknowledged he is taking the agency’s helm amid significant container supply chain disruptions and related concerns over container ship rates and service.

“I am grateful and humbled by the confidence President Biden has placed in me by appointing me Chairman at...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/biden-picks-maffei-to-chair-federal-maritime-commission

Regulators ask Biden for ‘immediate’ dockworker vaccinations

The wave of dockworkers testing positive for COVID-19 up and down the U.S. coasts has prompted maritime regulators to seek help directly from the White House.

In a letter sent Thursday to President Joe Biden, Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) Commissioners Carl Bentzel and Daniel Maffei asked that in addition to prioritizing dockworkers for vaccines – which they requested from the Trump administration in December – they should be given access, in the interim, to rapid testing to minimize port...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/regulators-ask-biden-for-immediate-dockworker-vaccinations

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