US transportation and agriculture secretaries urge end to reduced service for US-grown commodities

US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack have sent a letter to 12 of the world’s leading ocean carriers, urging them “to help mitigate the disorder affecting shippers of US-grown commodities and relieve the supply chain disruptions created by the COVID-19 pandemic by restoring reciprocal treatment of imports and exports,” according to a statement released by the two departments.

They are calling on the carriers to better utilize the available terminal capacity on the West Coast, noting that the Port of Oakland, Port of Portland, as well as other West Coast ports, have an excess capacity that could alleviate supply chain congestion.

They said, as well: “It is also critical that we restore the reciprocal treatment of imports and exports. Shippers of US-grown commodities and goods have seen reduced service, ever-changing return dates, and unfair fees as containers have short-circuited the usual pathways and been rushed to be exported empty. This imbalance is not sustainable and contributes to the logjam of empty containers clogging ports. The poor service offered and the refusal to serve customers when empty containers are clearly available is unacceptable and, if not resolved quickly, may require further examination and action by the Federal Maritime Commission.”

The letter was sent to CMA CGM America LLC, COSCO North America, Evergreen Shipping Agency, Hapag-Lloyd AG North America, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company USA, Maersk Inc., Ocean Network Express, OOCL (USA) Inc., SM Line, Wan Hai Lines America, Yang Ming Marine Transport Company and Zim American Integrated Shipping Services.

Source: splash247

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