Federal Maritime Commission beefs up enforcement

The Federal Maritime Commission seeks feedback on maritime data accuracy, focusing on container movement between service providers and importers/exporters.

Ports America and NAWE say it is “quite frankly astonishing” that the FMC would seek to limit a marine terminal operator’s ability to charge demurrage in its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.

Despite a US FMC Judge telling the carrier its conduct “cannot be permitted in Commission adjudications” and issuing a default decision against it, MSC is refusing to back down and will appeal an order for damages against the company.

The case relates to a complaint filed by furniture shipper MCS Industries. The carrier says it will continue to defend its position vigorously

Carriers are in the firing line as US shippers head to the FMC looking to recover “damages” from breached contracts and record high freight rates.

Following a visit to the port of New York/New Jersey, Daniel Maffei has called on carriers to drop fees for empty containers that shippers and 3PLs cannot deliver to the port because of congestion; Port of NY/NJ to introduce its own fees