FMC SETS PROCEDURES FOR COSCO RATE REDUCTIONS

FMC SETS PROCEDURES FOR COSCO RATE REDUCTIONS       The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission has updated procedures China Ocean Shipping Co. must follow when it decides to reduce rates to either meet or exceed the filed rates of competing ocean common carriers on one day’s notice.
   Since the agency’s Automated Tariff and Filing Information System (ATFI) is no longer in use, COSCO will not longer have to request a Special Case Number for tariffs in which it wished to reduce rates.
   However, COSCO will be required to simultaneously publish the reduced tariff rate item in its own carrier automated tariff system, effective no less than one day later. The tariff rate item must be listed in a separate rule in the carrier’s automated tariff system.
   The change in procedures merely reflect the change from ATFI over to carrier automated tariff systems, the FMC said.