HOUSE PASSES OCEAN SHIPPING REFORM ACT OF 2021

The Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2021 (HR 4996) passed in the House of Representatives. The bill includes provisions to gain reasonable and fair ocean carrier practices consistent with the Federal Maritime Commission’s excellent, but unenforced Interpretive Rule on Demurrage and Detention. It imposes upon carriers the obligation to self-police compliance with that Rule. It provides the FMC with better tools to enforce ocean shipping law and regulations. The bill obligates ocean carriers to carry export cargo, to the extent they can do so safely, rather than leave our exports behind as they carry empty containers back across the oceans. The debate now shifts to the Senate.