Page 47: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (September 2021)

SHIPPING & PORTS CONTAINERSHIPPING CHALLENGES

Containership assist docking at Port of Los Angeles.

Photo courtesy Port of Los Angeles

Punch and counterpunch

In the week just prior to the introduction of OSRA 2021, the carriers and shippers were already jousting. Shortly after a late

July announcement from the FMC that it would be examining the actions of nine large carriers serving U.S. markets concerning detention and demurrage charges, a Pennsylvania- based furniture importer ? led a complaint with the agency claiming market manipulation by two carriers (MSC and

Cosco), seeking some $600,000 in damages. At issue was the furniture shipper’s inability to source freight under service contracts it had signed with the carrier. After the complaint was revealed in early August, MSC ? red back, expressing “shock” at the accusations on allocating space under contracts, as well as further accusations of collusion among the liner carriers (with the complaint referencing the policy of blanking sailings during the tough days in Spring, 2020).

Readers can decide for themselves: https://www2.fmc.gov/readingroom/proceeding/21-05/ (? rst document is the actual complaint) https://www.msc.com/bwa/press/press-releases/2021-august/ mcs-industries-shipper-complaint www.marinelink.com 47

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