FMC Chairman Daniel Maffei expressed frustration over FMC's limited tools to help exporters during a media briefing with Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka.
The event was hosted by the Port of Los Angeles for the purpose of providing its monthly operational and volume update. The recorded briefing is available on Youtube. Click here to watch.
Chairman Maffei said he plans to recommend to have a go-to person for exporters in the FMC Consumer Response Division to help them with their problems. He also plans to recommend continued enhanced enforcement where appropriate in the area where exporters are denied containers, especially when it is unreasonable. In addition, he wants to suggest to the Commission to take good look at detention and demurrage rule to see if there is any area where they can strengthen it.
Director Seroka reported that cargo volume was 946,966 Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) in April 2021, a spike of 37% compared to last year. "This was by far the busiest April in the Port’s 114-year history and the ninth consecutive month of year-over-year increases," he said.
Chairman Maffei also spoke about the role of the Commission, the importance of ocean trade, the need to invest in American ports, supply chain performance, and Fact Finding 29.