The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) on April 17, 2025, announced its long-awaited final proposed measures to combat China's dominance in the maritime sector by imposing fees on Chinese-linked ships.
Public criticism of...more
4/22/2025
/ China ,
Executive Orders ,
Fees ,
International Trade ,
Maritime Transport ,
Ports ,
Section 301 ,
Shipping ,
Tariffs ,
Trade Policy ,
USTR ,
Vessels
The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) made a determination on Jan. 20, 2025, that China's targeting of the maritime, logistics and shipbuilding sectors for dominance is unreasonable and burdens or restricts U.S. commerce and...more
3/6/2025
/ China ,
Imports ,
International Trade ,
Logistics ,
Maritime Transport ,
National Security ,
Ports ,
Section 301 ,
Shipbuilding ,
Tariffs ,
Trade Act of 1974 ,
US Trade Policies ,
USTR
As we move into 2025 and the Trump Administration prepares to take control of the government, marine terminal operators are anxiously and optimistically awaiting resolution of the labor disputes between terminal operator...more
1/9/2025
/ Automation Systems ,
China ,
Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA) ,
Compensation & Benefits ,
Cybersecurity ,
Infrastructure ,
International Trade ,
Longshoremen ,
Ports ,
Risk Management ,
Tariffs ,
Trump Administration ,
Unions ,
Wage and Hour
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) earlier this year for the first time expressly found that the Jones Act applies to transportation of merchandise from a U.S. port to a location on the U.S. outer continental shelf...more
In a ruling dated Jan. 27, 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for the first time expressly found that the Jones Act applies to transportation of merchandise from a U.S. port to a location on the outer continental...more
The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) in March 2018 directed Commissioner Rebecca F. Dye to initiate a fact finding investigation (Fact Finding 28) into demurrage and detention practices at U.S. ports. Commissioner Dye issued...more
For background information regarding open-loop scrubber environmental studies by the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transportaiton and Tourism (MLIT) and the classification society Det Norske Veritas Germanischer...more
Comprehensive studies regarding the environmental effects of discharges from vessel's open-loop scrubbers released during the last several weeks by the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT)...more
3/8/2019
/ Discharge of Pollutants ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
European Commission ,
Germany ,
Informational Studies ,
Japan ,
Maritime Transport ,
Ports ,
Vessels ,
Water
• According to a California statute set to take effect in January 2019, ocean carriers, marine terminal operators (MTOs) and shippers engaging port drayage motor carriers (PDMCs) that default on obligations to pay employees...more
10/2/2018
/ Blacklist ,
DLSE ,
Drivers ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Tax ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Joint and Several Liability ,
Maritime Transport ,
Motor Carriers ,
New Legislation ,
Ports ,
Shipping ,
State Labor Laws ,
Transportation Industry ,
Wage and Hour
In the wake of a hearing held by the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) in January regarding detention, demurrage, and per diem charges, the FMC voted on Monday, March 5, to launch an investigation focusing on the practices of...more
Once he assumes office on Jan. 20, 2017, President-Elect Donald Trump will be responsible for managing a mix of cargo preference, ship documentation, cabotage, and related rules and laws dating back to the First Congress,...more
The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) issued its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPR) in FMC Docket 16-04 on Aug. 15, 2016. The FMC's July 2016 vote in favor of issuing the NPR advances a multiyear regulatory review....more
8/23/2016
/ Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) ,
Common Carriers ,
Federal Maritime Commission ,
Maritime Transport ,
Navigable Waters ,
NPRM ,
Ocean Transportation System ,
Ports ,
Regulatory Oversight ,
Reporting Requirements ,
Service Agreements ,
Shipping ,
Shipping Cargo ,
Vessels
The U.S. Coast Guard issued a notice in the Federal Register on March 14, 2016, announcing the availability of, and seeking comments on, the Atlantic Coast Port Access Route Study (ACPARS) Final Report. The ACPARS was...more
Some confusion and uncertainty has arisen in the international ocean shipping and logistics industry following several public statements and FAQs released by the U.S. Coast Guard in the past few days regarding the impending...more
Pursuant to recent amendments to the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention, Chapter VI, Regulation 2, effective on July 1, 2016, shippers will be required to provide ocean...more