Washington Agricultural Goods to Reach Global Markets Faster with Passage of Cantwell Co-Sponsored Ocean Shipping Reform Act

Press Release

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022, (OSRA). The U.S. Senate passed the OSRA of 2022 by a unanimous voice vote in March, the bill will now go to President Biden's desk to be signed into law. U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, released the following statement:

"Consumers are tired of higher prices and farmers are tired of skyrocketing shipping costs," said Sen. Cantwell. "Some products have been left at the docks to rot. That's why we passed this bill to give the Federal Maritime Commission the tools it needs to cut down on extraneous shipping costs and stop shipping carriers from leaving American products like apples, hay, milk and potatoes behind."

On Friday, President Biden held the latest in a series of public events calling attention to the urgent need for Congress to act on the bipartisan bill to bring down costs for shipping goods.

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) is charged with protecting the interests of U.S. businesses that rely on ocean transportation under the Shipping Act, which was last amended in 1998. The bipartisan Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 will level the playing field for American exporters and importers by providing the FMC the tools it needs for effective oversight of international ocean carriers. These oversight and enforcement tools will help the FMC eliminate unfair charges, prevent unreasonable denial of American exports, and crack down on other unfair practices harming American businesses and consumers.

The Ocean Shipping Reform Act would:

Stop international ocean carriers from unreasonably declining American cargo, as determined by the FMC in new required rulemaking.
Direct the FMC to self-initiate investigations of ocean carriers' business practices and apply enforcement measures.
Shift the burden of proof regarding overcharging certain fees, called "demurrage and detention" charges, from the complainant to the international ocean carriers to help level the playing field and improve the FMC's enforcement capacity.
Improve transparency of movement of U.S. agricultural and other exports by requiring international ocean carriers to report to the FMC regarding how many empty containers are being transported.
Stop retaliation by international shipping companies against exporters and importers.
Formally establish the FMC Office of Consumer Affairs and Dispute Resolution Services to improve the complaint and investigation process for American businesses seeking assistance from the FMC.
Improve management of chassis, the specialized trailer used to transport ocean containers over the road, by authorizing the Bureau of Transportation Statistics to collect data on dwell times for chassis and include a National Academy of Sciences study on best practices of chassis management.
Provide the FMC with temporary emergency authority to collect data during times of emergency congestion, among other improvements.
Port congestion that began during the COVID-19 pandemic left exporters, including American farmers, struggling to get their products to global markets because of unpredictable sailings, ocean carriers denying American cargo, and skyrocketing freight costs. For example, shipping rates for a 40-foot container went from $1,300 before the pandemic, up to $11,000 by September 2021. Shipping costs continue to increase. This week, shipping costs remain 41% higher globally compared to this time last year.

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