In response to supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, on 16 June 2022, the U.S. Congress enacted the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 (OSRA) to increase the authority of the Federal Maritime Commission...more
On 9 July 2021 the Biden Administration released an Executive Order (EO) on promoting competition in the American economy. The latest White House effort directs federal agencies to strengthen oversight of several key...more
The Jones Act is the foundational law of the American maritime industry, and compliance with it is essential whether you are a vessel operator in the U.S. domestic trades or a foreign operator serving the U.S. market. The...more
The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC or Commission) recently announced its adoption of a final interpretive rule to provide the maritime community guidance on the “reasonableness” of detention and demurrage charges. The rule...more
K&L Gates maritime professionals work at the intersection of the U.S. federal government and the maritime business. We asked some of them for their predictions about the year ahead regarding the Trump administration, the...more
In December 2019, the U.S. Congress managed to defy expectations and enact several pieces of significant legislation....more
Earlier this month, legislation amending certain Shipping Act prohibitions on anticompetitive conduct was enacted as part of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2018....more
After a whirlwind midterm election night, the results are (mostly) in. The Republicans increased their majority in the Senate with wins in Indiana, North Dakota, and Missouri (and are leading in Florida) while losing only...more
In August 2015, a federal court held in an apparent case of first impression that the Shipping Act of 1984 (the “Shipping Act”), preempts state law claims as well as federal antitrust claims. Direct and indirect purchasers of...more