On March 14, 2025, the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) launched an investigation into transit constraints at key international maritime chokepoints. The FMC is seeking public comments from interested parties on their experiences and proposed solutions related to seven specific maritime locations:
The FMC also acknowledged that other disruptions affecting U.S. maritime shipping may arise, such as the eleven-week closure of the Port of Baltimore following the collision of the containership Dali with the Francis Scott Key bridge in March 2024, which resulted in losses estimated at $4 billion.
The FMC will assess whether these maritime chokepoint constraints, such as the seven identified above, have led to unfavorable shipping conditions driven by foreign governments or by the practices of foreign-flagged vessel owners and operators. The investigation is being conducted under the FMC’s authority pursuant to 46 U.S.C. § 46106, which requires the Commission to report to Congress on potentially problematic practices of ocean common carriers owned or controlled by foreign governments.
At this stage of the investigation, the FMC is focused on providing stakeholders with the opportunity to share their perspectives and proposed solutions. The FMC is seeking public comments from interested persons on their experiences, arguments, data and proposals related to the maritime chokepoints listed above—particularly regarding the influence of foreign government policies and the practices of foreign-flag vessel owners and operators on shipping conditions.
The FMC is specifically seeking comments on the following:
Comments must be submitted by May 13, 2025, under Docket No. FMC-2025-0005 at: https://www.regulations.gov/docket/FMC-2025-0005/document.
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