RANCH MIRAGE, Calif. -- The Federal Maritime Commission is increasing its enforcement action against ocean transportation intermediaries (OTIs) to promote adherence to licensing and tariff regulations, speakers said at the Pacific Coast Council’s Western Cargo Conference last week.

Serena Tang, who recently left her position as a trial attorney at the Federal Maritime Commission’s Bureau of Enforcement, Investigations and Compliance (see 2509290029), is joining law firm Husch Blackwell, she announced on LinkedIn Oct. 14.

The Federal Maritime Commission announced Oct. 1 that it has suspended operations as part of the U.S. government shutdown and has furloughed its entire workforce except its three commissioners.

Serena Tang, who enforces the Shipping Act as a trial attorney at the Federal Maritime Commission’s Bureau of Enforcement, Investigations and Compliance, said in a case filing Sept. 29 that she is resigning from the FMC effective Oct. 3. Tang has been with the commission for four years, according to her LinkedIn profile.

A Federal Maritime Commission small-claims officer on Sept. 22 dismissed a complaint against ocean freight forwarder Sefco Export Management Co. and non-vessel-operating common carrier Schumacher Cargo Logistics, saying Dina Piteira of Portugal failed to show that the firms deliberately mishandled her shipment of two electric vehicles.

The Federal Maritime Commission is reviewing a federal court decision issued this week that said the FMC’s 2024 demurrage and detention billing rule (see 2402230049) arbitrarily and capriciously exempted motor carriers from being assessed those fees (see 2509230039). "The Commission is reviewing the court's opinion and will take appropriate action going forward," a commission spokesperson said in a Sept. 24 email.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on Sept. 23 set aside part of the Federal Maritime Commission's rule limiting the parties against whom "demurrage and detention" fees may be assessed. Judges Sri Srinivasan, Robert Wilkins and J. Michelle Childs held that the commission arbitrarily and capriciously exempted motor carriers from being assessed these fees, given the FMC's "stated rationale" to confine fees to parties who are in a "contractual relationship with the billing party."

The House Transportation Committee approved a bill Sept. 17 by voice vote that would reauthorize the Federal Maritime Commission through FY 2029. The legislation would give the agency several new tools to protect ocean shipping, including by establishing a formal process to report complaints about shipping exchanges, which connect shippers with carriers to make agreements or contracts for transporting cargo (see 2506300066).

EcoBamboo, an Oklahoma-based importer of bamboo products used in privacy fencing and construction, has accused non-vessel-operating common carrier Ship4wd of violating the Shipping Act by failing to properly handle a shipment from Indonesia to the U.S., according to a complaint filed with the Federal Maritime Commission on Sept. 2.

The New York-based entity formerly known as Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. has accused France-based ocean carrier CMA CGM of charging “unjust and unreasonable” demurrage and detention fees during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a complaint filed Sept. 2 with the Federal Maritime Commission.