Last February, the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) sided with the Intermodal Motor Carrier Conference (IMCC) of the American Trucking Associations (ATA) in their case against the Ocean Carrier Equipment Management Association (OCEMA) regarding chassis choice.
The FMC put an end to the practice of ocean carriers dictating the brand of chassis that must be used in merchant haulage moves. The original case centered around four geographies, Los Angeles/Long Beach, Memphis, Chicago and Savannah.
The FMC suspects the ocean carriers are not complying with their cease and desist order and are continuing their practice of restricting chassis choice. As a result, the FMC’s Bureau of Enforcement, Investigations and Compliance (BEIC) has begun an investigation into their current practices.
Any evidence the BEIC discovers can be used in federal court or in the FMC’s own enforcement actions, including civil penalties. You can submit information or evidence to the BEIC via email BEIC@fmc.gov or phone 202-523-5783.