FMC Welcomes Commissioner Laura DiBella

The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) welcomed new Commissioner Laura DiBella of Florida. DiBella was sworn in as a Commissioner on January 6 for a term expiring June 30, 2028.

Prior to joining the Commission, DiBella served as a government relations advisor at the law firm, Adams & Reese. Prior to joining Adams & Reese, DiBella served as President of Business Development at FloridaCommerce, President/CEO at Enterprise Florida, and President of the Florida Opportunity Fund. DiBella also has prior maritime experience. She was the Executive Director of Florida Harbor Pilots Association from 2019 to 2022. She also served as Port Director of Port of Fernandina Ocean Highway and Port Authority from 2017 to 2019. Prior to that she worked as the Executive Director of Nassau County Economic Development Board. She has also been a Florida licensed real estate broker for over 20 years. DiBella earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management and Business Administration and Management from the University of Florida.

DiBella was nominated by President Trump on September 3, 2025, confirmed by the United States Senate on December 18, 2025, and appointed to the Commission by the President on January 2, 2026.

The Commission now has four out of five Commissioners and still does not have an appointed Chairman. President Trump nominated Robert Harvey also of Florida along with DiBella to serve as an FMC Commissioner in September 2025. Harvey was nominated for a term ending June 30, 2029. He was not confirmed by the Senate however, and his nomination was sent back to the White House on January 3, 2026.

FMC Receives Four New Formal Complaints

The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) received four new formal complaints in December 2025 alleging violations of the U.S. Shipping Act and FMC regulations.

Unreasonable Shipment Handling Practices – FMC Docket No. 25-27:  Elite Logistics Corp., a California-based motor carrier, filed a formal complaint against Tanera Transport LLC., a California-based FMC-registered NVOCC.

Elite alleges Tanera violated the Shipping Act by failing to observe just and reasonable practices in connection with the handling and delivery of property. Specifically, Elite claims that Tanera failed to pay for drayage services Elite provided for six different shipments starting in October 2024. Elite alleges that Tanera owes Elite $14,163.75 for transportation services.

Elite requests the Commission order Tanera to cease and desist from the Shipping Act violations, to implement lawful and reasonable practices going forward, and to pay reparations for the unlawful conduct, together with interest, and any other amounts the Commission deems just and proper.

Unreasonable Shipment Handling Practices – FMC Docket No. 25-28:  Cool Living LLC, a third-party logistics management company, filed a formal complaint against ALPI U.S.A., Inc. and ALPI Air & Sea A/S., both NVOCCs, alleging various Shipping Act violations.

Cool Living alleges that it regularly worked with both NVOCCs to move furniture for a large Finish retailer. Starting in 2024 however, the NVOCCs began to engage in unjust and unreasonable shipment handling practices. Specifically, Cool Living claims the NVOCCs engaged in opaque pricing, failure to engage in dispute resolution, refusals to provide supporting documentation, and holding of cargo to coerce payment of disputed invoices. Additionally, according to Cool Living, the NVOCCs issued Negotiated Rate Arrangements (NRAs) that were lacking complete terms and did not include applicable surcharges or accessorials in violation of FMC’s NRA regulations. Lastly, Cool Living alleges the NVOCCs mismanaged shipments resulting in loss, damage, and misdelivery.

As a result of these NVOCCs’ actions, Cool Living alleges it suffered significant monetary damages and reputational damage to its brand.

Cool Living requests the Commission order these NVOCCs to pay reparations for the unlawful conduct, together with interest, and any other amounts the Commission deems just and proper, to pay civil penalties for the knowing and willful violations of the Shipping Act, to cease and desist from the unlawful conduct, and provide any other further relief that the FMC deems appropriate.

Unreasonable Practices & Refusal to Deal – FMC Docket No. 25-29:  MAC Industries Inc. dba MAC Container Line, a California-based NVOCC, filed a formal complaint against COSCO Shipping Lines Co., Ltd. and COSCO Shipping Lines (North America) Inc. MAC alleges that COSCO engaged in unreasonable shipping practices and retaliation in violation of the Shipping Act.

Specifically, MAC alleges that in January 2025 a shipment from Seattle to Nhava Sheva was confiscated by the Indian authorities. Eventually the shipment was auctioned and COSCO recovered the containers in March 2025. Mac alleges that COSCO billed MAC $157,067.59 for detention during the government hold and continuing thru July 2025. MAC disputed the detention bill and claims that thereafter COSCO retaliated against them. According to the Complaint, COSCO began cancelling MAC’s bookings, reduced their Service Contract’s agreed-upon minimum quantity commitment (MQC), and removed MAC’s sea waybill privileges.

As a result of COSCO’s unlawful conduct, MAC claims it suffered economic harm of at least $1.2 million.

MAC requests the Commission order COSCO to cease and desist from these Shipping Act violations, to implement lawful and reasonable practices going forward, and to pay reparations for the unlawful conduct, together with interest, and any other amounts the Commission deems just and proper. MAC also asks the Commission to issue civil penalties for COSCO’s knowing and willful violations of the Shipping Act.

Unreasonable Shipping Practices & Unlawful D&D – FMC Docket No. 26-01:  Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (BBB) filed a formal complaint against HMM Company Limited., alleging that HMM violated the U.S. Shipping Act by exploiting price inflation in container shipping during the COVID-19 pandemic and unjustly and unreasonably exploiting shippers.

Specifically, BBB alleges that between 2021 and 2022, HMM consistently failed to meet its existing service contract commitments and thereby forced BBB to buy space on the spot market at enormous expense and to pay additional extracontractual surcharges. BBB also alleges HMM charged detention and demurrage fees when BBB was unable to pick up or return containers due to circumstances outside of BBB’s control, such as congestion at ports and equipment shortages.

As a result of HMM’s actions, BBB alleges that it paid at least $4,697,799.56 in unjust and unreasonable detention and demurrage charges.

BBB requests the Commission order HMM to pay BBB reparations, including interest, attorneys’ fees and costs, order HMM to cease and desist from the unlawful conduct, and provide any other further relief that the FMC deems appropriate.

OOCL, Yang Ming, MSC, Evergreen, BAL Container Line and CMA CGM are facing similar complaints filed by BBB. BBB filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in April 2023.

For more details visit the FMC’s online reading room. The FMC’s reading room provides access to FMC dockets, related documents, notices, and orders.

FMC Issues Update on Investigation of Spain’s Port Practices

The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) announced that it is continuing its investigation into the Government of Spain’s maritime practices. The FMC initiated this investigation in December 2024 after Spain barred at least three U.S. flagged vessels from its ports in November 2024. According to the FMC, Spain’s policy behind these refusals remains in place.

To assess the ongoing situation and its impact on U.S. foreign commerce, the Commission is seeking additional information from common carriers, shippers, and other interested stakeholders about Spain’s maritime policy. Specifically, the Commission is seeking information about the following:

• Spain’s policy of denying or refusing port access to certain vessels carrying cargo bound for or coming from Israel,
• actions Spain has taken to enforce that policy, and
• the impact on conditions in shipping for U.S. foreign trade.

Based upon the information obtained thus far, the FMC believes that Spain’s practices are likely creating conditions unfavorable to shipping in U.S. foreign trade. Accordingly, the Commission now also seeks public input on what remedial actions may be appropriate to meet or adjust those conditions. The Commission may weigh a range of potential remedies, including limitations on cargo, refusing entry to vessels operating under Spain’s flag, or imposing fines up to the current inflation-adjusted limit of $2,304,629 per voyage on Spanish-flagged vessels.

To provide information or input to the Commission about this issue and possible remedial actions, please visit and comment on the Federal Register notice: Federal Register: Investigation Into Conditions Affecting Shipping in the Foreign Trade and Denial of Entry of Vessels Into Spanish Ports; Request for Additional Comments.

Transpacific Eastbound Carriers File GRIs Effective January 15, 2026, and February 1, 2026

Several leading carriers serving the Transpacific container trades have recently updated their respective tariffs to include new General Rate Increases (GRIs) effective January 15, 2026, including CMA CGM, COSCO, Evergreen, Hapag Lloyd, HMM Company Limited, Ocean Network Express (ONE), Yang Ming, and ZIM. See table below for GRI amounts per 40ft container; GRI amounts for all other container sizes are as per formula. The January 15th GRIs will be the second GRI of 2026 for the East Asia/USA trade lane. 

TRANSPACIFIC EASTBOUND (Asia to USA)
GENERAL RATE INCREASE (GRI) Effective January 15, 2026
Carrier	in USD, per 40ft ctr
CMA CGM	2000
COSCO (note 1)	3000
Evergreen (note 2)	3000
Hapag Lloyd	3000
HMM	3000
ONE	1000
Yang Ming	2000
ZIM	2000

NOTE 1:  COSCO GRIs apply on all cargo moving under service contracts only.   

NOTE 2:  Evergreen GRIs will be USD 3000 per 40ft container for dry cargo, and USD 3000 per reefer container. GRI amounts for all other container sizes are as per formula. 

Some carriers also updated their tariffs to include new General Rate Increases (GRIs) effective February 1, 2026, including CMA CGM, COSCO, Evergreen, Hapag Lloyd, HMM Company Limited, Ocean Network Express (ONE), Yang Ming, and ZIM. See table below for GRI amounts per 40ft container; GRI amounts for all other container sizes are as per formula. The February 1st GRIs will be the third GRI of 2026 for the East Asia/USA trade lane. 

TRANSPACIFIC EASTBOUND (Asia to USA)
GENERAL RATE INCREASE (GRI) Effective February 1, 2026
Carrier	in USD, per 40ft ctr
CMA CGM	2000
COSCO (note 1)	3000
Evergreen (note 2)	3000
Hapag Lloyd	3000
HMM	3000
ONE	1000
Yang Ming	2000
Zim	2000

NOTE 1:  COSCO GRIs apply on all cargo moving under service contracts only.   

NOTE 2:  Evergreen GRIs will be USD 3000 per 40ft container for dry cargo, and USD 3000 per reefer container. GRI amounts for all other container sizes are as per formula. 

Each carrier maintains its own tariffs and controls its own pricing.

The information contained herein is obtained from reliable sources. It is subject to change at any time, however, depending on changes in laws and regulations. While we continually attempt to monitor this information, we do not guarantee its accuracy and are not responsible for any damages suffered by any party in reliance on it.