FMC updates ‘controlled carrier’ list

   The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission has published an updated list of “controlled carriers” in the Federal Register to reflect the changes it has made since the list was last published in 2005.
   Controlled carriers are ocean common carriers operating in the U.S./foreign oceanborne trades that are owned or controlled by governments. They are subject to rate review standards to ensure they do not unfairly use their government-supported positions against their competiton.
   The FMC noted that with the addition of China’s Hainan P O Shipping Co., Ltd. in 2010, there are now four carriers on the list. Two others – COSCO Container Lines Company, Ltd. and China Shipping Container Lines Co., Ltd./China Shipping Container Lines (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd. – are also Chinese. The other is American President Lines, Ltd./APL Co., Pte. which is controlled by Singapore.
   Four other carriers have been dropped from the list, including Ceylon Shipping Corp., which was determined to be inactive as of March 20; Compagnie Nationale Algerienne de Navigation, which no longer operates as an ocean common carrier; Sinotrans Container Lines Co., Ltd., which no longer operates as an ocean common carrier in the U.S.-foreign trades, although a related company operates as a non-vessel-operating common carrier in the U.S.-foreign trade; and Shipping Corporation of India Ltd., which no longer does business in U.S.-foreign trades.