US shippers turn up the heat on government over 'punitive' D&D fees

US agricultural shippers have appealed to the US government to act to stop the “unconscionable imposition of millions of dollars of unfair … fees” placed on the industry by ports and shipping lines. The letter, sent by the Agriculture Transportation Coalition on behalf of 80 organisations, said it sought “government engagement” with the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), which has developed a Proposed Interpretive Rule, but which has yet to be adopted. “Ocean carriers and terminal operators impose detention and demurrage charges on US agriculture businesses when ocean freight containers cannot be timely returned to, or picked up from, marine terminals within a short ‘free time’ window, even when the delay is caused by the ocean carriers or terminals themselves (such as when the terminal is closed, or the ship is late),” noted the letter.