Shipping company Shiplane Transport said ocean transportation firm Seaboard Marine violated the U.S. shipping regulations when it moved its containers without consent, refused to issue it a bill of lading, engaged in price fixing and solicited customers unfairly, Shiplane said in a complaint filed with the Federal Maritime Commission April 3.
The U.S. government hasn't yet identified a timeline for cleanup of the wreckage at the Port of Baltimore after the Francis Scott Key Bridge was hit by a container ship on March 26 (see 2403260047), Baltimore Port Director Adam Rottman said on an April 2 CBP call. Rotman said CBP also is requiring that cars that were already cleared for export must be transported under bond to a new port. CBP will issue further CSMS messages as it gets "more concrete information," another CBP official on the call said.
The Port of Baltimore suspended all vessel traffic into and out of the port “until further notice” due to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge after it was hit by a container ship in the early morning March 26.
Shippers continued to press the Federal Maritime Commission on why it allowed carriers to bill Red Sea-related surcharges without a 30-day notice, saying during a March 6 meeting of the National Shipping Advisory Committee that carriers failed to justify those charges.
More action is needed to protect commercial cargo ships from attacks by Houthi rebels, shipping industry groups said after sailors aboard a commercial ship in the Gulf of Aden died this week from a Houthi missile strike.
COSCO Shipping Lines charged unfair detention and unfair chassis, storage, stop-off and redelivery fees, Access One Transport said in a complaint filed with the Federal Maritime Commission on March 1. The California-based motor carrier said that COSCO violated the Shipping Act by charging unfair fees when the containers couldn't be returned due to lack of appointments, dual transactions and specific actions by COSCO's and its terminals.
The Biden administration on Feb. 21 announced a series of actions intended to strengthen cybersecurity at U.S. ports, including mandatory incident reporting requirements and minimum cybersecurity standards for ports and vessels.
Ocean carrier Evergreen Shipping Line "systematically" failed to meet its service requirements, pressured its customers to pay "extracontractual prices and surcharges" and charged unfair detention and demurrage, Bed Bath & Beyond said in a Feb. 21 complaint with the Federal Maritime Commission. The former big box retailer specifically accused the carrier of failing to meet minimum quantity commitments as part of a contract and said it took space reserved for Bed Bath & Beyond and instead allocated it to "higher-priced cargo from other shippers."
Two Supply Source subsidiaries filed another five complaints at the Federal Maritime Commission Feb. 14 against multiple carriers, accusing them of violating the Shipping Act and charging unfair detention and demurrage from 2021 to 2022, leading to over $2.1 million in financial damages. The companies include COSCO Shipping Lines, Lihua Logistics Company Limited, CMA CGM, Overseas Container Line Limited, and Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp.
Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC) violated the Shipping Act by assessing detention and demurrage for periods that were outside the shipper’s control, shippers told the Federal Maritime Commission. The complaint, filed Feb. 14 by Impact Products and Safety Zone, both subsidiaries of Supply Source, alleged that MSC refused to divert shipments to less crowded ports and failed to extend the number of free days afforded when ports were congested from 2021 to 2022, leading to over $200,000 in financial damages.