The National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America asked the Federal Maritime Commission questions on the demurrage and detention final rule (see 2402230049). The NCBFAA, in comments dated April 22, said the questions were submitted on behalf of its members and other "industry stakeholders" and raised several questions that were not addressed in the final rule.

Federal Maritime Commissioner Louis Sola met with the ambassador of the Bahamas to the U.S. to discuss "critical maritime issues," the FMC said in an April 23 statement. The meeting was held in Washington earlier in April. They discussed maritime sustainability, port infrastructure enhancements, and "other opportunities for cooperation" between the two nations' maritime sectors, "such as regulatory measures and economic incentives that strengthen the maritime industry," the commission said.

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration will hold three hearings in the coming months ahead of upcoming meetings of international bodies to discuss dangerous goods requirements, it said in a notice April 24.

The Federal Maritime Commission should develop a strategy to modernize how it collects data, so the agency can better monitor shippers' challenges and trends in the maritime shipping industry, the Government Accountability Office said in one of four recommendations to the FMC in an April 23 report examining whether carriers took advantage of shippers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Zim Integrated Shipping Services charged unfair detention and unfair chassis, storage, stop-off and redelivery fees for containers that couldn't be returned due to lack of appointments or terminal closures out of its control, Access One Transport said in a complaint filed with the Federal Maritime Commission on April 16.

The Federal Maritime Commission's enforcement bureau is asking the agency's administrative law judge to fine major ocean carrier Mediterranean Shipping Company $63.2 million for violating U.S. shipping regulations. MSC used “overbroad” merchant clauses in its bills of lading, billed incorrect rates for certain containers and failed to publish certain container tariff rates, causing "obscurity" and "uncertainty" for shippers, the commission's Bureau of Enforcement, Investigations and Compliance said in an April 3 report.

The U.S. hopes to open a “limited access channel” to the Port of Baltimore by the end of April and to fully reopen the channel by the end of May, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said April 4. The limited channel would be 280 feet wide and 35 feet deep, the Corps of Engineers said, and would “support one-way traffic in and out of the Port of Baltimore” following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge last month (see 2403260047).

Shipping company Shiplane Transport said ocean transportation firm Seaboard Marine violated the U.S. shipping regulations when it moved its containers without consent, refused to issue it a bill of lading, engaged in price fixing and solicited customers unfairly, Shiplane said in a complaint filed with the Federal Maritime Commission April 3.

The Port of Baltimore suspended all vessel traffic into and out of the port “until further notice” due to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge after it was hit by a container ship in the early morning March 26.

The Federal Maritime Commission approved a settlement between Rahal International and Hapag-Lloyd and dismissed the complaint between both parties. The settlement, approved on March 15, comes after Rahal accused Hapag-Lloyd in June of failing to establish adequate facilities to return empty containers to the Port of New York and New Jersey and unfairly charging detention and demurrage (see 2307050034).