$22.7 Million Penalty for Shipping Charge Violations
Source
American Shipper
Post Date
02/06/2026
The Federal Maritime Commission reports that it has assessed $22.7 million in civil penalties against an ocean carrier for three types of Shipping Act violations. - billing customs agents for demurrage and detention ges through the merchant clause found in its bills of lading even though such parties were not involved in moving the cargo ($65,000 penalty) - failing to include in its published tariff a statement of what demurrage and detention ges were for non-operating reefers ($9.5 million penalty) - overging customers demurrage and detention fees for use of its NORs ($13.1 million penalty) Regarding the last of these violations, the FMC reversed a determination by the administrative law judge and concluded that the carrier? NOR billing tem was not merely the result of a mistake but rather constituted an unreasonable practice, pointing specifically to the fact that the overging happened in about 23 percent of all the carrier? NOR bills during the entire year of 2021.
