The Federal Maritime Commission is proposing to amend its regulations to allow original service contracts to be filed up to 30 days after going into effect, aligning them with amendments that have similar filing timelines. This change stems from the Commission’s experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, which demonstrated the benefits of delayed filing. The proposal also seeks to make technical amendments following the decision to exempt ocean carriers from publishing certain contract terms. The Commission invites public comments on these changes before finalizing the rule.
Simple Explanation
The Federal Maritime Commission wants to change a rule so that shipping companies can file some important papers up to 30 days after they start a contract, instead of right away, because they found it helpful during the COVID-19 pandemic. They are asking people what they think about this idea before they make it a new rule.