FMC reveals witness lineup for port practices hearing

The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) published a notice identifying 26 individuals slated to testify as witnesses on one of six different panels covering issues related to detention, demurrage, and per diem charges at a Jan. 16-17 hearing.    The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission on Wednesday published a notice identifying 26 individuals scheduled to testify as witnesses on one of six different panels during a Jan. 16-17 hearing at its Washington headquarters, which will explore issues related to detention, demurrage, and per diem charges at the nation’s ports.
   The issues were raised in a petition filed by the Coalition for Fair Port Practices (Petition P4-16) in December 2016. 
   The coalition, which comprises more than 20 trade associations, described in its petition a practice by carriers and terminals of applying unfair demurrage and detention charges against shippers when, through no fault of their own, cannot retrieve their containers prior to the “free time” expiration. This has occurred during times of port congestion, labor slowdowns due to contentious dockworker contract negotiations, infrastructure meltdowns, and inclement weather, the coalition explained.
   The FMC, which voted on Sept. 20 to hold the hearings after reviewing 115 public comments related to the petition, announced the hearing dates on Nov. 16. Individuals interested in presenting testimony at the hearings had to send their request to the commission by no later than Dec. 8.
   The Jan. 16-17 hearing will be held in the commission’s main hearing room located on the ground floor of 800 North Capitol Street, Northwest, Washington, D.C.  Hearings are scheduled to start at 10:00 a.m. on both days and interested members of the public are invited to attend in person.