This bill expands the Federal Maritime Commission's authority to regulate technology and anticompetitive practices within the international ocean transportation system.
First, the bill expands the definition of controlled carrier (a category of carriers that are subject to additional regulatory oversight) to include carriers legally or financially related to a corporation based in a nonmarket economy country.
Additionally, the bill requires the commission to accept and investigate complaints concerning alleged anticompetitive practices by registered shipping exchanges. (A shipping exchange is a data platform that enables businesses shipping goods to connect with carriers to transport those goods.)
Further, the bill requires the commission to establish a data standard to facilitate the voluntary sharing of supply chain data among U.S. shipping industry stakeholders. This standard must allow users to exchange data (using standardized terms and methods of measurement) in real time. The bill allows the Department of Transportation to require port authorities to adopt the standard to receive certain grants.
The commission must also establish standards for price indexes for containerized ocean freight that are published by shipping exchanges.
The bill also prohibits a recipient of certain federal grants from using China's logistics platform (LOGINK) or transportation logistics software controlled by a foreign adversary.
Finally, the bill establishes a National Port Advisory Committee and a National Ocean Carrier Advisory Committee. The committees, together with the existing National Shipper Advisory Committee, are charged with advising the commission on policies relating to the competitiveness, reliability, and efficiency in the international ocean freight delivery system.
