FMC Sets MTDI Summit for June 1

FMC Press Release dated May 25, 2022 -- Commissioner Carl Bentzel will host the Maritime Transportation Data Initiative Summit at the Federal Maritime Commission headquarters on Wednesday, June 1, 2022, from 10 am to 2 pm.

The summit is the culmination of 18 industry stakeholder meetings held weekly from November 2021 through April 2022.

The summit will begin with a plenary session from 10:00 am to 11:00 am (Eastern) that will be followed by breakout sessions where groups will be asked to comment on and refine the read-ahead draft provided by Commissioner Bentzel and FMC staff.

The goal of the MTDI is to streamline how industry communicates and shares data to make cargo movement more efficient. Key to achieving this objective is harmonizing definitions, standardizing data reporting, and timeliness in sharing data and making recommendations on how our data supply chain can be more efficient.

Participants have been provided draft materials based on the feedback from the weekly meetings. The Plenary Session can be viewed by the public on the FMC YouTube channel.

“I look forward to welcoming the weekly meeting participants to the Commission next month where we will finish the work we started in December. Industry committed to this initiative and industry recognizes there are issues to be addressed and an opportunity to make improvements in data and information sharing. This effort puts us on a path forward and towards collaborative solutions. I have faith we will be successful in uniting around a set of data transmission standards.”

At the end of the breakout sessions, there will be a readout of the daily work and FMC will integrate comments into a report from which the Commissioner will draft recommendations. Commissioner Bentzel will be presenting these recommendations at the July 13th Commission Meeting.

“This has been and will continue to be, a completely open process. Every meeting has been recorded and is available on the FMC YouTube channel,” said Commissioner Bentzel. “We still have a lot of work to do, but I am confident in that we have the key people with the right expertise committed to this project and its success. We are well on our way to a productive summit and outcome.”

All the weekly participants have been invited. Most will be participating in person. There will be a virtual component for those who cannot make the trip to Washington, DC.

AP Tariffs to Present at VAFFA Networking Event on June 9

Pierre Larenas and Mauricio Larenas of Atlantic Pacific Tariffs, Inc. (AP Tariffs) will be making a presentation at a business networking event hosted by the Venezuelan American Freight Forwarders Association (VAFFA) on June 9, 2022. The event will take place at Sabor Doral Restaurant from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in Doral, Florida, and will be attended by representatives of Venezuelan American Shipping, Transportation and Logistics companies. AP Tariffs' presentation will deal with FMC licensing as well as enforcement and penalties that might be imposed when operating unlicensed. Licensed companies could also face penalties if found not following rules and regulations during an FMC audit. AP Tariffs helps its clients by providing FMC Compliance Management service so they can avoid penalties ($13,132 per occurrence). Experts at AP Tariffs are always available for consultations to guide clients comply with the FMC rules. The tariff publisher is also offering free consultations to potential clients, which are available in both English and Spanish. Contact AP Tariffs today to learn more about its services!

Pierre Larenas Pierre@aptariffs.com 305-610-2244 Mauricio Larenas Mauricio@aptariffs.com 954-461-6152

FMC Seeks Comments on Co-Loading

FMC Press Release dated May 6, 2022 -- A newly released Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) issued by the Federal Maritime Commission solicits public comment on whether carrier tariffs should be available free of charge and if the definition of co-loading should be changed to apply only to less than container loads.

The NPRM on Carrier Automated Tariffs (Docket No. 21-03) proposes a total of six major changes to Commission rules that are intended to ease requirements for engaging in commerce while increasing the transparency of business transactions.

The proposed change to tariff publication rules would require ocean carriers to post their tariffs free of charge on their websites. Seven of the ten leading ocean carriers serving the United States already provide this service and the Commission believes that requiring universal free tariff publication would benefit the trade by providing more information to shippers on pricing when considering service options.

The Commission is proposing changing its regulations to change the definition of co-loading to apply only to less than container loads. The change is intended to align Commission regulations with current industry practices. The Commission is also proposing that documentation accompanying full container load shipments be annotated with the names of all non-vessel operating common carriers (NVOCCs) associated with the cargo the container is carrying.

Three proposed changes would allow NVOCCs to cross-reference certain aspects of other carriers’ terms in their tariffs; clarify the ability of NVOCCs to reflect increases in certain charges passed through by other entities without notice; make other miscellaneous updates and clarifications to 46 Code of Federal Regulations Part 520.

The Commission issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on April 8, 2021, on these proposed changes. This document and the comments received can also be found in Docket No. 21-03.