The U.S. House of Representatives on Dec. 8 passed the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2021, a bipartisan bill designed to strengthen shipping supply chains by requiring shipping companies to adhere to “minimum service standards that meet the public interest,” according to Rep. John Garmendi (D-Calif.), who introduced the bill in August.
According to The Hill, the legislation – which passed the House in a 364-60 vote – bars shipping carriers and port operators from retaliating against a shipper, a shipper’s agent, or a motor carrier by threatening to withhold available cargo space or unreasonably declining cargo.
The bill also creates a shipping exchange registry to facilitate improved data collection and reporting practices, increases Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) funding by 10 percent, and directs the FMC to release an annual report on shipping operators and marine terminal operators filing false certifications.
“The overwhelming bipartisan support for this legislation should be a signal to the U.S. Senate that action also needs to be taken on their side swiftly to address practices currently damaging U.S. agricultural exports,” said Daren Coppock, President and CEO of the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA), in a statement supporting the bill’s passage.
“Reducing backlogs and preventing unfair charges is critical to the ag industry, and ARA will continue to work with its allies in Congress to urge action in a timely manner,” Coppock said.