Carrier/MTO Agreement Rule Revisions to be Proposed

Contact: Karen V. Gregory, Secretary, (202) 523-5725

The Commission voted at its meeting today to direct staff to prepare an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) and seek comments on proposed revisions to its rules on ocean common carrier and marine terminal agreements. The rulemaking will focus on modifying certain exemptions from the filing and waiting period requirements as well as revising the Information Form and Monitoring Report requirements. The Commission will also propose minor revisions to clarify the agreement regulations and remove obsolete language. Finally, the Commission will seek comment on information disclosure in the agreement review process. The Commission expects to publish the ANPR in the first half of 2016.

The Federal Maritime Commission is the federal agency responsible for regulating the nation’s international ocean transportation for the benefit of exporters, importers, and the American consumer. The FMC’s mission is to foster a fair, efficient, and reliable international ocean transportation system while protecting the public from unfair and deceptive practices.