Ocean Shipping Reform Act Signed Into Law
The Ocean Shipping Reform Act, which would punish carriers who reject exports from West Coast ports if the Federal Maritime Commission deems those decisions as unreasonable, was signed into law June 16. The FMC is directed to begin a rulemaking on the matter. The law also puts the burden of proof on the reasonableness of demurrage and detention fees on ocean carriers, rather than the parties who were charged the fees.
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American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall told the audience at the White House that American agricultural exporters lost out on $25 billion in sales in the last six months because they couldn't get their containerized shipments on a sailing. "This law will empower the [FMC] to hold ocean shippers accountable," he said.
President Joe Biden said, "Thank you, thank you, thank you, for working across the aisle, for working so quickly." Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., one of the main champions of the action in the House, attended the signing ceremony, as did Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., who led the charge in the Senate.
"This bill is going to help bring down inflation, at least marginally," Biden said.