On August 4, the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) launched an expedited inquiry into the practices of eight ocean container carriers with respect to certain surcharges.
The carriers were asked to provide details confirming that any congestion or related surcharges they “implemented or announced” accorded with legal and regulatory obligations. The carriers have until August 13 to respond.
FMC’s Bureau of Enforcement (BoE) will review their responses to determine if the carriers implemented the surcharges with proper notice, if they clearly defined the purpose, and if they identified a clear event or condition that would terminate the surcharge.
“I want to know the carriers’ justifications for additional fees and I strongly support close scrutiny by the FMC’s Bureau of Enforcement aimed at stopping any instance where these add-on fees may not fully comply with the law or regulation," says FMC Chair Daniel Maffei.
