Shippers mostly supported the Federal Maritime Commission’s proposal for demurrage and detention billing requirements (see 2210070079 and 2203250028), saying in comments this month the new invoice requirements will bring more transparency to the industry. But at least two carriers continued to lobby for revisions to the proposed requirements, saying they could lead to burdensome new rules and wouldn’t result in more efficient container pickups and returns.
Ian Cohen
Ian Cohen, Deputy Managing Editor, is a reporter with Export Compliance Daily and its sister publications International Trade Today and Trade Law Daily, where he covers export controls, sanctions and international trade issues. He previously worked as a local government reporter in South Florida. Ian graduated with a journalism degree from the University of Florida in 2017 and lives in Washington, D.C. He joined the staff of Warren Communications News in 2019.
The Los Angeles and Long Beach ports will end a program that could have eventually imposed surcharges on dwelling containers, the ports announced Dec. 16. The fee program was meant to incentivize the movement of dwelling containers (see 2110280031), but the ports never implemented it and instead postponed it weekly (see 2207220051) and later monthly (see 2211180061) since it was first announced in October 2021 (see 2207290053).
Major ocean carrier MSC violated U.S. shipping regulations because of its unreasonable demurrage practices, U.S. metal trader CCMA said. In a complaint to the Federal Maritime Commission released this week, CCMA said it was assessed more than $114,000 in unfair demurrage fees by MSC, which levied the charges despite the containers being subject to a government hold and unavailable for pickup. The FMC should order MSC to pay CCMA reparations for its “unlawful conduct,” the complaint said.
CBP will soon launch new “interactive” tools on its website, along with additional guidance and frequently asked questions, to help industry comply with the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, Acting Commissioner Troy Miller said. Miller said the agency has been exploring ways to better aid U.S. importers as they navigate increasingly “complex global supply chains” and vet suppliers who may be using forced labor.
U.S.-based Omni Logistics violated shipping regulations when it failed to include required information on demurrage invoices for more than 200 containers, said TPG Pressure, a U.S. supplier of construction equipment and services. In a complaint to the Federal Maritime Commission dated Nov. 29, TPG said it was forced to pay Omni more than $860,000 in unfair fees before the company released its cargo, adding that Omni also invoiced TPG an additional $362,000 for “alleged services and costs.”
The House this week will look to impose a labor deal on the rail industry in a bid to avoid a looming strike that could cause widespread disruptions to supply chains. The effort, announced by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif, came hours after President Joe Biden urged lawmakers to adopt the tentative agreement between labor unions and rail companies from September (see 2209150012) “without any modifications or delay” to “avert a potentially crippling national rail shutdown.”
Congress needs to act to help prevent a looming major rail strike that could disrupt freight movement and back up supply chains, more than 400 trade associations said in a Nov. 28 letter to congressional leadership. The letter, signed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America, the Agriculture Transportation Coalition and others, said the “uncertainty” surrounding a potential rail disruption “has created enormous anxiety” in the industry.
The Los Angeles and Long Beach ports again postponed by one month a new surcharge meant to incentivize the movement of dwelling containers (see 2110280031), the two ports announced Nov. 18. The ports had planned to begin imposing the fee a year ago, in November 2021, but postponed it each week until July 29, when the ports announced their first one-month postponement (see 2207290053). The latest one-month extension delays the effective date until Dec. 16.
The U.S. should make use of more inland ports to help alleviate congestion along the coasts, port authorities told the Department of Transportation in recent comments. More inland terminals could help containers move more quickly and efficiently, they said, and could help reduce costs by limiting the number of containers forced to sit in marine terminals.
U.S.-based MVM Logistics said major shipping line MSC violated the Shipping Act by failing to provide MVM with “adequate” time to return containers and charging per diem fees for delays MSC had caused. In a complaint this week to the Federal Maritime Commission, MVM said MSC charged it about $800,000 stemming from unfair fees and failed to "establish, observe, and enforce just and reasonable regulations and practices relating to or connected with receiving, handling, storing, or delivering property."