Upgrade of Commission’s Website Operating Platform

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

On Thursday, September 30th, you may notice some changes to the Commission’s website. That’s because the Commission is transitioning to an upgraded website operating platform, the first of two major phases in the Commission’s website upgrade and redesign process. These upgrades will provide more transparency and public access and input for the Commission’s activities, information, and services. “This new foundation will support our continuing work to make the Commission more open, useful, and responsive to our customers — the public and the shipping industry that serves them. The Commission is fully committed to President Obama’s directive that government should be transparent; government should be participatory; and government should be collaborative,” said Chairman Richard A. Lidinsky, Jr.

We anticipate minimal service disruptions during the launch process. Should you experience any difficulties accessing information on the Commission’s website please contact the Commission’s Office of the Secretary or call (202) 523-5725.

While many of the improvements to the upgraded platform will run in the background, some of the immediately noticeable front-end benefits to the public include:

• Improved online visibility of the Commission’s website, making it easier for the public to locate and use Commission resources and services;
• Better organization of current information to improve transparency and access;
• Enhanced website search capabilities, particularly within the Electronic Reading Room;
• Improved communication capabilities through RSS feeds and streaming video; and
• Front-end graphic enhancements – wider pages and crisp graphics.

Users of the Commission’s service contract filing system, SERVCON, may access this system either through the Commission’s website or directly via https://servcon.fmc.gov. If SERVCON filers/publishers require access to SERVCON during the launch period, they are encouraged to access SERVCON directly via the above link.

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.