DOJ, FMC Sign MOU on Ocean Shipping Competition Issues
The Justice Department and Federal Maritime Commission signed the first-ever memorandum of understanding between the two agencies to foster better cooperation on enforcement and oversight of competition issues in the ocean shipping industry, the agencies said July 12. The MOU creates a “framework” for the two agencies to discuss “enforcement and regulatory matters” involving unreasonable carrier practices, an increase in large carrier alliances and other practices that are hurting U.S. importers and exporters (see 2102170060). Under the MOU, which was encouraged by President Joe Biden’s executive order last week (see 2107090056), officials from the FMC and the Justice Department’s antitrust division will “confer” at least once annually, according to the MOU.
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FMC Chairman Daniel Maffei said the memorandum will help the commission “detect, address, and pursue violations” of shipping laws. “The Federal Maritime Commission has an important enforcement role as an economic regulator of a vital industry,” Maffei said in a statement. “As such, we will continually assess how the agency can improve its capacity to protect the integrity of the marketplace.” Acting Assistant Attorney General Richard Powers said the MOU is “important to ensuring healthy competition in the maritime industry.”