FMC completes initial meetings with container lines in its review of how they are servicing US exporters

The US Federal Maritime Commission’s Vessel Operating Common Carrier (VOCC) Audit Program last week finished a first round of meetings with 11 shipping lines in its review of how key ocean carriers are serving US export shippers. The VOCC Audit Team is using these meetings to identify which ocean carriers have export strategies and how well those strategies work, and to urge companies without export strategies to establish one.

Initial findings from the interviews will be presented to the FMC at a meeting later this spring.

“Helping US export shippers is my top priority as chairman, and I will ask my fellow commissioners and commission staff to utilize the full extent of our authority to ensure American agricultural producers and manufacturers reach overseas markets.  The information the Audit Team is gathering from the shipping lines will be invaluable in identifying what carriers are doing well in carrying exports and where we must push carriers to do more.  It’s one part of our comprehensive effort to encourage the ocean carrier industry to increase export service overall,” said chairman Daniel Maffei.

The VOCC Audit Team will continue to engage ocean carriers on export issues.

In March, the Bureau of Enforcement launched an examination of five independent ocean carriers calling US ports to determine if their conduct related to the export trades is compliant with US statutes. That review is ongoing.