An administrative law judge ruling against the current system of chassis pools was upheld by the full Federal Maritime Commission.
A maritime law judge has ruled that ocean carriers violate the Shipping Act when they limit container chassis choices for intermodal truckers.
The Intermodal Motor Carriers Conference insists the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission has jurisdiction to ensure that ocean container chassis provisioning is conducted fairly.
The Ocean Carrier Equipment Management Association says the Federal Maritime Commission’s jurisdiction does not apply to a domestic transport dispute with container-hauling truckers.
Direct ChassisLink has added 1,000 new chassis to the Gulf Coast region since its departure from the OCEMA Gulf Consolidated Chassis Pool earlier this year.
The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission’s Office of Administrative Law Judges is expected to announce an initial decision in this multibillion-dollar complaint against the ocean carriers by August 2021.
The American Trucking Associations’ Intermodal Motor Carriers Conference seeks to put an end to alleged price manipulation of container chassis usage between ocean carriers and draymen.
The Intermodal Association of North America said the federal agency’s signoff allows more efficient training and helps recruit and retain equipment mechanics.
Consolidated Chassis Management chief executive foresees an increased requirement for chassis to accommodate rising tide of intermodal container moves as the North American economy shakes off COVID-19.
Intermodal Motor Carrier Conference said the Ocean Carrier Equipment Association can avoid regulatory or legal action by reaching a “mutually beneficial” resolution to the chassis lease rate dispute.
Leasing companies say a neutral chassis pool lacks incentive to invest the tens of millions of dollars each year to maintain viable chassis equipment.
ATA intermodal group alleges $1.8 billion in haulage overcharges
The AgTC asked the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission to extend the comment deadline to Oct. 31, calling the rule “the most relevant and far-reaching initiative taken by the FMC in many years.”
FMC Commissioner Rebecca Dye is scheduled to deliver her demurrage and detention recommendations to her fellow commissioners on Sept. 3.
