Departing Federal Maritime Commission Chair Louis Sola criticized a new global emissions framework adopted earlier this year by the International Maritime Organization's Marine Environment Protection Committee, saying it will "unfairly" tax American cargo on the high seas. Sola suggested the rules should be investigated.
The Federal Maritime Commission is asking for public comments on several information collections related to marine terminal operator schedules, service contracts, non-vessel-operating common carrier service arrangements and negotiated rate agreements. Comments are due July 31, it said in a Federal Register notice.
A Federal Maritime Commission administrative law judge has approved a confidential agreement to settle allegations that Texas-based freight forwarder Sealink International (SLI) illegally sold the cargo of California-based exporter Triple L Global (TLG) to an unknown buyer without permission and without the required 10-day written notice, according to an FMC order served June 24. TLG filed the complaint against SLI in August 2024 (see 2408070042). SLI denied the allegations.
Multiple Federal Maritime Commission systems may be unavailable overnight from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. ET until further notice, including the FMC's e-Agreements and e-Monitoring applications, Form 1 (FMC1), Form 18 (FMC18), Form 65 (FMC65) and license renewals for ocean transportation intermediaries. Users experiencing problems with those systems outside those hours should contact the FMC's Office of Information Technology Helpdesk.
U.S. shippers QVC Inc. and Cornerstone Brands have accused Singapore-based ocean carrier Ocean Network Express (ONE) of failing to meet its minimum quantity commitments under service contracts for the period of May 2021 to April 2022, according to a complaint filed this month with the Federal Maritime Commission.
FormuKleen, a Boca Raton, Florida-based importer in the hospitality industry, accused Miami-based freight forwarder and customs broker Top Shipping Systems (TSS) of violating the Shipping Act by withholding two “high-value” shipments in an attempt to obtain payment for past-due invoices for other shipments, according to a complaint filed this month with the Federal Maritime Commission.
A Federal Maritime Commission administrative law judge has approved a confidential agreement to settle allegations by U.S. shipper Supply Source that France-based ocean carrier CMA CGM imposed unfair demurrage and detention charges, according to an FMC notice served June 18. Two Supply Source Enterprises subsidiaries filed the complaint against CMA CGM in February 2024 (see 2402150055), and TZ SSE Buyer later purchased Supply Source’s assets from bankruptcy. CMA CGM denied the allegations.
Market demand for ocean carriers from Asia to the U.S. West Coast has picked up as importers rush to beat any additional increases in tariff rates -- including potentially higher U.S. duties on goods from China, according to multiple sources.
A Federal Maritime Commission administrative law judge ordered Chinese ocean carrier COSCO Shipping Lines June 6 to pay California-based motor carrier Access One Transport $32,495 in reparations for imposing unfair detention fees.
Shippers are continuing to press the Federal Maritime Commission for clarity around which agency should regulate certain rail storage fees imposed by ocean carriers on through bills of lading, saying little progress has been made in recent months, despite urging from the National Shipping Advisory Committee.