FMC Seeking Comments on New Data Collection Effort
The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) is seeking comments by July 24 on a new data collection for "empty container volumes at intermodal locations," it said in a Federal Register notice. The data collection effort, which would implement certain parts of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022, would allow the FMC to gather information on "vessel-level tonnage as well as full and empty containers entering and leaving U.S. ports." It would also allow the Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) to collect "operational data on intermodal equipment and dwell times."
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The FMC and BTS have identified "data gaps" for locations of intermodal shipping containers ready for use by shippers and exporters, the notice said. The FMC is looking to collect data from ocean carriers on empty containers "on a weekly basis," as well as a "two-week outlook for containers ready for use at 30 intermodal locations," the notice said. The locations will include "dry ports, intermodal container transfer facilities, and marine terminals," it said. This information will be published in a weekly report to give more information about the availability of containers and sizes of the containers.