News / Carriers say disruption just a 'Covid cargo crunch', but shippers want to get tough

US cargo owners have called on Congress to “modernise” the Shipping Act, after unprecedented disruption to container supply chains.

The National Industrial Transportation League (NITL) said network disruption and months of congestion at ports had “wreaked havoc for US exporters and importers, costing them billions in higher shipping costs, demurrage and detention charges and lost business, with still no clear end in sight”.

Furthermore, the disruption had “exposed gaps” in the law governing ocean carrier services, with shippers “unable to gain timely ...