FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, October 2, 1998
Contact: Bill Mosley
Tel.: (202) 366-5571
DOT 184-98
Secretary Slater Praises Congress
For Passing Shipping Reform Act
Secretary of Transportation Rodney E. Slater today praised Congress for completing work on the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 1998, which will increase competition and decrease paperwork for the ocean shipping industry.
Yesterday’s passage of the legislation by the Senate follows the House of Representatives’ passage on Aug. 4 of the reform bill.
"Since the beginning of the Clinton administration, the Department of Transportation has been working to achieve in maritime transportation the benefits of deregulation that the airline, trucking, rail and freight forwarding industries already enjoy," Secretary Slater said. "Ocean carriers now will have the ability to set prices in response to the market, which will result in benefits for American exporters and importers."
Under the new law, carriers no longer will file tariffs with the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), but will file their rates with private tariff bureaus.
All carriers, including members of conferences, also will for the first time have the statutory authority to set rates independently and enter into individual and confidential service contracts. The act also eliminates a requirement that carriers offer the same service contract terms to all similarly situated shippers. Only the essential terms of service contract will continue to be filed with the FMC.
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