The Federal Maritime Commission should scrap its notice of proposed rulemaking on how it should define certain unreasonable conduct by ocean carriers, the Agriculture Transportation Coalition said in comments to the FMC last week. The group said the NPRM misses congressional intent “by a wide margin” and would not solve the issue of carriers unfairly declining to take exports in favor of imports.

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."

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A Chinese freight forwarder illegally tried to change the terms of its signed service contract with a U.S. distributor and purposefully delayed 20 container shipments so it could submit higher detention and demurrage invoices, the American company said in a complaint this month to the Federal Maritime Commission. Indiana distributor Way Interglobal also said China-based Shenzhen Unifelix, a von-vessel operating common carrier, “improperly” disclosed Way’s financial information to Shenzhen’s vendors to try to force Way into agreeing to a new contract.

Globerunners, a California-based shipper, said Texas-based Hoyer Global may have overcharged it in wharfage fees for a container held for years at a South Korean port. In a complaint this month to the Federal Maritime Commission, Globerunners said Hoyer never provided it with a copy of the detention and demurrage invoice Hoyer was given by the South Korean port. Globerunners believes Hoyer passed along fees higher than what the South Korean port charged.

The Federal Maritime Commission should exclude non-vessel-operating common carriers (NVOCC) from the scope of a rule that could define a set of factors the commission will consider when determining whether a carrier is violating certain shipping regulations, the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America said. The group stressed that it supports the rule if it helps to hold ocean common carriers accountable, including in situations in which they unfairly refuse space to U.S. exporters.

A recently signed California law will “significantly” limit the ability of marine container providers or terminals to impose detention and demurrage charges, law firm Cozen O’Connor said in an alert this month. The law, effective Jan. 1, outlines 10 situations in which container providers will not be able to begin or continue free time or impose fees on motor carriers and cargo owners “due to circumstances ostensibly beyond those parties’ control,” the firm said.

CORONADO, Calif. – The Federal Maritime Commission needs industry input into key provisions of its newly announced detention and demurrage proposed rule (see 2210070079), and in particular on a provision limiting charges only to parties that have a contractual relationship, said Lucille Marvin, FMC managing director, during a panel discussion Oct. 8 at the Western Cargo Conference.

CORONADO, Calif. -- The Federal Maritime Commission is “carefully monitoring capacity” as the potential rises for economic troubles on the horizon, with some predictions calling for a repeat of 2009, FMC Commissioner Rebecca Dye said in remarks at the Western Cargo Conference Oct. 7.

The Federal Maritime Commission released a notice of proposed rulemaking further refining prohibited practices for demurrage and detention, which is required under the Ocean Shipping Reform Act (OSRA).