Marine Link
Friday, March 29, 2024
SUBSCRIBE

Surface Transportation Board News

08 Jul 2021

Biden to Take Aim at Shipping Competition

U.S. President Joe Biden (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz)

President Joe Biden will soon order U.S. transportation agencies to crack down on anti-competitive conduct and unjust fees in the rail and sea shipping industries to try to lower costs to consumers, the White House said on Thursday.It said his executive order is aimed at the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) and the Surface Transportation Board (STB).White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki noted that shipping costs had risen dramatically during the months of the pandemic.The order…

09 Oct 2019

Illinois Waterway Closures: Look for the Workaround

Starved Rock Lock, ACE Rock Island District (Credit: USACE)

A set of complicated lock-and-dam projects on the Illinois Waterway, from Chicago to the Mississippi, has yellow lights flashing throughout the Midwest freight industry. In effect, the entire Waterway will be shut down next summer as the Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island Division, starts some hefty replacement and maintenance projects, from LaGrange to Brandon Road locks and dams.Officials advise maritime, freight and agricultural businesses to look ahead now, to prepare a logistics scenario that will be ready by July 1, 2020.

26 Oct 2017

Marine Finance for Brown Water Operators

Š Merek / Adobe Stock

A primer for navigating the ‘ups and downs’ of marine money for domestic stakeholders. Vessel financiers are resourceful and adaptable to changing markets. On the domestic side, financiers of Jones Act and “brown water” assets have continued to serve their customers through shifting shoals in both broader capital markets and in the marine markets – both known for their ups and downs. Marine finance can take many forms. In the broadest sense, funding can be done through loans, where the vessel is owned by the borrower…

13 Feb 2016

UPS Oposes CP-NS Merger

UPS, one of North America’s largest intermodal shippers, has told federal regulators that it is against Canadian Pacific Railway's (CP's) proposed acquisition of Norfolk Southern Corp. (NS). UPS' thumbs-down has dealt a severe blow to CP's $28 billion bid to acquire U.S. eastern railroad NS. UPS Inc. is the largest transport company in the U.S. and one of the nation's biggest users of intermodal services. UPS has asked the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to reject the proposal on grounds that it will lead to diminished service levels and higher costs. UPS also warned that the acquisition would result in a spree of rail-industry consolidation that would impair intermodal service reliability even more.

31 Aug 2015

Alaska Marine Lines Reduces Fuel Surcharge

Photo: Alaska Marine Lines

Alaska Marine Lines, a marine transportation company providing barge service to and from Alaska and Hawaii, informs it has filed with the U.S. Surface Transportation Board to decrease the fuel surcharge from certain locations as a result of fluctuating fuel costs.   Effective September 6, the line’s fuel surcharge will be reduced from 29 percent to 28 percent on shipments to, from and within Central Alaska and Prince William Sound locations

15 Jan 2015

Alaska Marine Lines Lowers Fuel Surcharge

Alaska Marine Lines has filed with the Surface Transportation Board to decrease the fuel surcharge from 31% to 29% on shipments to, from and within Central Alaska and Prince William Sound locations. The line has also filed to decrease the fuel surcharge from 14% to 7% on shipments to, from and within Southeast Alaska. The decreases will become effective on January 25, 2015. Alaska Marine Lines said it will continue to monitor fuel prices on a daily basis and will adjust the fuel surcharge when necessary.

26 Nov 2014

Matson Raises 2015 Westbound Hawaii Box Rates

Matson, Inc., a U.S. carrier in the Pacific, announced that Matson Navigation Company, Inc. (Matson) will raise its rates for the company's Hawaii service by $225 per westbound container and $110 per eastbound container, effective January 4, 2015. The increase will be filed with the Surface Transportation Board. No adjustment will be made to the company's terminal handling charge (THC). Matson estimates that the rate adjustment will result in shipping costs rising by an average of 5.4% percent. "This rate increase will help offset rises in operating costs and support ongoing investments in our Hawaii service," said Dave Hoppes, senior vice president, ocean services.

25 Nov 2014

Matson Raises Guam, Micronesia Rates

Matson, Inc., a U.S. carrier in the Pacific, announced today that Matson Navigation Company, Inc. will raise its rates for the company's Guam/Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI) and Micronesia services by $225 for both westbound and eastbound containers, effective January 25, 2015. The increase will be filed with the Surface Transportation Board and the Federal Maritime Commission. The rate increase also applies to the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. There will be no adjustment made to the company's terminal handling charge (THC).

26 Nov 2013

More Matson Rates to Increase

Matson, Inc., a U.S. carrier in the Pacific, announced that Matson Navigation Company, Inc. (Matson) will raise its rates for the company's Guam/Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI) and Micronesia services by $275 for both westbound and eastbound containers, effective January 26, 2014. The increase will be filed with the Surface Transportation Board and the Federal Maritime Commission. The rate increase also applies to the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

25 Nov 2013

Matson Increases Westbound Hawaii Service Rates

Matson, Inc., a U.S. carrier in the Pacific, announced today that Matson Navigation Company, Inc. will raise its rates for the company's Hawaii service by $175 per westbound container and $85 per eastbound container, effective January 5, 2014. The increase will be filed with the Surface Transportation Board. In addition, Matson will raise its terminal handling charge by $50 per westbound container and $25 per eastbound container, also effective January 5, 2014. Matson estimates that the combined increase of both the rate adjustment and terminal handling charge will result in shipping costs rising by an average of 5.5%. Historically, Matson announced average percentage increases based solely on the rate increase, excluding terminal handling charges.

30 Nov 2012

Matson's 2013 Westbound Hawaii Service Rates to Increase

Matson has announced  that Matson Navigation Company, Inc. (Matson) will raise its rates for the company's Hawaii service by $175 per westbound container and $85 per eastbound container, effective January 1, 2013. The increase will be filed with the Surface Transportation Board. In addition, Matson will raise its terminal handling charge by $50 per westbound container and $25 per eastbound container, also effective January 1, 2013. Matson estimates that the combined increase of…

14 Nov 2003

Matson to Increase 2004 Westbound Hawaii Service Rates

Matson Navigation Company, Inc. announced today that it will raise its rates for the company's Hawaii service by $125 per westbound container and $60 per eastbound container, effective January 11, 2004. The increase will be filed with the Surface Transportation Board. In addition, the company will increase its terminal handling charge by $25 per westbound container and $15 per eastbound container, also effective January 11, 2004."This rate increase will help offset rises in contractual operating costs and support a number of investments in our Hawaii service that will deliver value and provide the state with modern, reliable ocean transportation services in the future," said James Andrasick, Matson president and CEO.

26 Jul 2006

Confirmation Hearing for Maritime Administrator

On July 27, the Senate Commerce Committe will hold a full Committee hearing to consider the following nominations: Charles Nottingham to be a Member of the Surface Transportation Board; Robert Sumwalt to be a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board; Nathaniel Wienecke to be Assistant Secretary for Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs, Department of Commerce; Jay Cohen to be Under Secretary for Science and Technology, Department of Homeland Security; and Sean Connaughton to be Administrator of the Maritime Administration, Department of Transportation. (Source: http://commerce.senate.gov)

30 Nov 2005

Horizon Announces General Rate Increase for Hawaii Cargo

Horizon Lines, LLC announced that it will file a General Rate Increase with the Surface Transportation Board to raise its ocean freight rates for the company's Hawaii service effective January 2, 2006. The amount of increase to be filed varies depending on a number of factors, including rate basis of the ocean freight and the direction and mode of transport.

01 Sep 1999

Proposed & Interim Rules

MarAd is soliciting public comment concerning whether MarAd should amend its cargo preference regulations governing the carriage of agricultural exports. Comments are welcome on the questions listed in this notice or on any other aspect of MarAd's oversight of other governmental agencies' ocean shipping activities under the Cargo Preference Act of 1954, as amended by the Food Security Act of 1985. Present regulations and policies remain in force. This docket does not address the carriage of military cargoes. The USCG proposes to amend the Anchorage Regulations for the Atlantic Ocean off Miami and Miami Beach, Fla. The amendment is needed…