Protect Your Packages This Holiday Season

The holidays are a great time to ship gifts overseas to friends and relatives and there are many companies that offer to ship boxes via ocean at a nominal rate. The Office of Consumer Affairs & Dispute Resolution Services (CADRS) would like to remind consumers that to avoid problems, consumers should:

• Use an FMC licensed and bonded company to ship packages;
• Accurately describe the item and value of the item shipped; and
• Keep all receipts provided by the ocean shipping company

To verify that a shipping company is licensed or to search for a licensed ocean shipping company please visit the FMC’s website at: http://www2.fmc.gov/oti/.

If you are experiencing difficulty or would like to learn more about shipping your cargo overseas, please contact the Commission’s Office of Consumer Affairs via email at complaints@fmc.gov or phone at 866-448-9586 (toll free).