FMC Finishes First Round of Carrier Export Services Audits
The Federal Maritime Commission finished its first round of meetings with carriers under its new export services audit effort (see 2203210026), the agency said April 22. The meetings -- part of an expansion of the FMC’s Vessel-Operating Common Carrier Audit Program to examine how shipping lines can best serve U.S. exporters -- have resulted in “invaluable” information so far, FMC Chairman Daniel Maffei said.
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The agency said it has asked 11 carriers about their export strategies, particularly surrounding agricultural exports. Shippers have said carriers continue to send empty containers back overseas rather than filling them with exports because the carriers can charge higher rates for imports (see 2104280031). “The information the Audit Team is gathering from the shipping lines will be invaluable in identifying what carriers are doing well in carrying exports and where we must push carriers to do more,” Maffei said.
The VOCC Audit team also spoke with the carriers about recent trends in carrier export numbers and urged carriers that don’t have an export strategy to establish one. “Information gathered from interviews will provide better insight into market trends and performance, as well as where opportunities exist for individual lines to improve or increase access to service offerings,” the FMC said. Findings from the interviews will be presented to the FMC later this spring.