TGA-Supported Ocean Shipping Reform Act (OSRA) Moves in Congress as FMC Considers Action
On February 4, the U.S. House of Representatives approved larger anti-China legislation, the America COMPETES Act, that includes the TGA-supported Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2021 (OSRA) (H.R. 4996). The larger legislation will now be reconciled with the Senate anti-China bill. On February 3, OSRA was introduced in the Senate. The legislation would require the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) to establish/enforce rules that would end the current shipping crisis, including minimum service requirements for carriers, as well as rules barring contract breaches and excessive and unjust detention and demurrage fees. Meanwhile, on February 4, the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) requested public comments whether it should make its current interpretive rule on detention and demurrage an enforceable regulation.