EAST COAST SOUTH AMERICA/U.S. CARRIER GROUP EXPANDS

    Mediterranean Shipping Co., Evergreen and P&O Nedlloyd have joined the East Coast of South America Discussion Agreement, a spokesman for the agreement said.
    The discussion agreement is a group of ocean carriers in the East Coast South America/U.S. liner trade which, unlike a conference, does not have the authority to make decisions on freight rates.
    The former Inter-American Freight Conference, previously responsible for setting common rates in the U.S./East Coast South America trade, was dissolved in July.
    In U.S. trades, discussion agreements are seen as having replaced conferences, many of which have closed since the enactment of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act in May.
    Details of the membership of the East Coast of South America Discussion Agreement and other discussion and stabilization agreements are posted on the ComPairData global shipping database at https://www.compairdata.com.