US regulator demands 'transparency' in fees for containers

A seven-month investigation by the US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) is set to see the light of day, with a preliminary report highlighting concerns long-expressed by shippers: namely how container demurrage, detention and per diem fees have been levied in US ports on importers. Freightwaves says the FMC report stems from a 2016 petition which sought for better regulation of fees imposed by carriers and terminal operators. And the numbers on their own explain why – these fees skyrocketed in 2014 and 2015, up 90% and 86% year on year respectively as a result of west coast congestion. While fees dropped in 2016 – largely due to that congestion being resolved, they were on the rise again last year, up 30%. But what appears to irk shippers and their 3PLs most is the complete absence of any transparency in how these fees are calculated.