Chairman Lidinsky Addresses European Maritime Law Organization In Dublin, Ireland

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

Federal Maritime Commission Chairman Richard A. Lidinsky, Jr. today addressed the 16th Annual Conference of the European Maritime Law Organization (EMLO) in Dublin, Ireland. The theme of this year’s conference was European competition law, transport policy, and climate action. Chairman Lidinsky was a charter member of EMLO when it was founded in 1991 to bring together government officials from Europe and the United States, along with leading maritime regulatory attorneys, and industry representatives, to focus on key issues facing international waterborne commerce.

The theme of Chairman Lidinsky’s remarks was to provide an update to EMLO members on recent FMC activity on fact finding efforts on vessel capacity, container shortages, and new legislative reforms now pending on Capitol Hill. His remarks also took the theme of “Winds of Change—Part III,” following on the heels of speeches he gave last month in Macau before the Global Shippers’ Forum and in Seattle before the Container Box Club.

“With or without the enactment of Shipping Act reform legislation, the FMC will be fully prepared to handle all complaints under service contracts by the time these negotiations are completed in the spring,” the Chairman declared. “We want all carriers and shippers to avail themselves of our dispute resolution/mediation/arbitration mechanisms and expertise to ensure the smooth flow of our foreign waterborne commerce, particularly exports, which President Obama wants to double in the next five years,” he concluded.

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) is the independent 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.