ARTICLE · 25 OCTOBER 2023

Ocean Shipping Reform Act

Seward & Kissel

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The Ocean Shipping Reform Act (OSRA), which amends the Shipping Act, was signed into law by U.S. President Joseph Biden in 2022 to alleviate certain measures taken by shipping companies in the midst of supply chain delays.

United StatesTransport

Michael S. Timpone

Brian P. Maloney

Background

The Ocean Shipping Reform Act (OSRA), which amends the Shipping Act, was signed into law by U.S. President Joseph Biden in 2022 to alleviate certain measures taken by shipping companies in the midst of supply chain delays. As we have previously noted, the recent high-profile complaint filed before the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) by Bed Bath & Beyond against Overseas Orient Container Line has brought to the attention of the shipping community a continuing trend of charge complaints submitted under OSRA's newly amended procedures (more than 175 during the second half of 2022).

What does OSRA do?

OSRA is intended to prevent unfair charges levied against shippers (that is, merchants and other businesses that ship goods) and unreasonable denial by common carriers (that is, shipping companies that are contracted to deliver those goods) of cargo space by providing the FMC authority to enhance its supervision of common carriers. Chief among the issues

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