FMC ORDERS PROBE OF FLORIDA TUG ARRANGEMENTS

FMC ORDERS PROBE OF FLORIDA TUG ARRANGEMENTS       The Federal Maritime Commission has launched an investigation into exclusive tug arrangements at the Florida ports of Canaveral and Port Everglades.
      The FMC said that the two ports may have been served by one tug company for more than 40 years. It appears that the incumbent franchise holder in both ports is a subsidiary or trade name of the same tug operator, the FMC said.
   The incumbent tug operator at Port Canaveral is Port Canaveral Towing Inc., a subsidiary of Seabulk International Inc.    The incumbent operator at Port Everglades is Port Everglades Towing, a trade name of Seabulk.    Before March 21, 2001, Seabulk International was known as Hvide Shipping Inc.
   At Canaveral, the Port District Board of Commissioners turned down an tug franchise application by Petchem Inc. on July 21, 2000.
   At Port Everglades, the Broward County Board of Commissioners turned down an application for a franchise by Tugz International LLC, a subsidiary of Great Lakes Towing Co.
   Both the 1984 Shipping Act and the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 1998 prohibit marine terminal operators from unreasonably refusing to deal or to negotiate.
      FMC commissioner Antony M. Merck will head the fact-finding investigation. Merck’s report must be presented to the FMC within 180 days.    The findings will remain confidential unless the FMC decides otherwise.''