The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) announced two compromise agreements in November 2025 totaling $1,350,000 in penalty payments. The FMC investigates violations of the U.S. Shipping Act and Commission regulations. If the FMC finds potential violations, the Commission’s staff may negotiate a settlement or informal compromise.

FMC Tariff Violations:  Hyundai Glovis, Co. Ltd., a vessel-operating common carrier (VOCC) headquartered in Seoul, South Korea agreed to pay a $1,300,000 FMC penalty. Hyundai Glovis allegedly provided service that was not in accordance with the rates, charges, classifications, rules, and practices contained in its published FMC tariff. Additionally, Hyundai Glovis allegedly failed to publish all its active rates and charges in its FMC tariff. The FMC alleged that these practices persisted for over a year and involved numerous shipments.

FMC Tariff Violations:  Olympiad Line LLC, a New Jersey-based non-vessel-operating ocean common carrier (NVOCC), agreed to pay a $50,000 FMC penalty in compromise of alleged Shipping Act violations. Olympiad allegedly provided service that was not in accordance with the rates, charges, classifications, rules, and practices published in its FMC tariff.

The parties did not admit to any violations as part of these compromise agreements. Penalty payments are deposited into the U.S. General Fund of the United States. The FMC receives no portion of these payments.

On September 23, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit set aside the limitation on which parties may receive detention and demurrage invoices under the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission’s regulations. Specifically, the court struck section 46 C.F.R. 541.4. This section limited invoicing to either: (i) the person for whose account the billing party provided ocean transportation or storage of cargo and who contracted with the billing party for the ocean transportation or storage of cargo, or (ii) the consignee.

The FMC issued comprehensive detention and demurrage regulations in May 2024. Shortly thereafter, the World Shipping Council, a trade association for vessel-operating common carriers, appealed the rules to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, seeking to have them overturned.

Apart from section 541.4 however, the court’s decision did not impact the rest of the FMC’s detention and demurrage regulations. Vessel-operating common carriers (VOCCs), non-vessel-operating common carriers (NVOCCs), and marine terminal operators (MTOs) must continue to follow the FMC’s regulations when invoicing for demurrage and detention. These provisions include those that require a demurrage or detention invoice to contain accurate and sufficient information and those that impose a 30-day issuance deadline. Failure to comply with either of these provisions eliminates any obligation of the billed party to pay the applicable charge.

The court’s decision does not preclude the Commission from addressing who may be invoiced for demurrage and detention in a future rulemaking.

For more information about how to file a complaint regarding possible violations of the FMC’s detention and demurrage regulations, please visit FMC’s Complaints and Assistance page:  Complaints and Assistance – Federal Maritime Commission.

Several carriers serving the USA/East Asia trade lanes (U.S. Exports) have adjusted their fuel surcharges for the January to March 2026 quarter. Here is a table of carriers that have posted BAF amounts:

NOTE 1:  CMA CGM calls the above Bunker surcharge the Bunker Adjustment Factor Surcharge (BAF-03), tariff Rule No. 010.4. Low Sulphur Surcharge IMO2020 (LSS20) is not applicable at this time.

NOTE 2: COSCO calls the above surcharge the Bunker Surcharge (BUC), tariff Rule No. 010-001..

NOTE 3:  HMM calls the above charge the Bunker Surcharge (BUC) Rule No. 10-02A. HMM also filed in its FMC tariff Rule 10-02F, Environmental Compliance Charge (ECC), effective January 1, 2026. The ECC amounts are USD 37/74/74/74 per 20/40/40HC/45ft, respectively, for dry cargo moving via West Coast; and USD 15/30/30/30 per 20/40/40HC/45ft, respectively, for dry cargo moving via East Coast, Gulf.

NOTE 4:  ONE calls the above surcharge the ONE Bunker Surcharge (OBS). Any reference to Bunker Adjustment Factor (BAF) or Fuel Adjustment Factor (FAF) within a duly filed service contract shall be construed as referencing the same surcharge as ONE Bunker Surcharge (OBS) as detailed within Tariff Rule No. 102.001, whether as an exception or as a reference to this charge.

NOTE 5:  OOCL calls the surcharge the Fuel Cost Recovery Charge (T-62). The Fuel Cost Recovery Charge will not apply to shipments when Bunker Surcharge and/or Low Sulphur Fuel Surcharge and/or Low Sulphur Adjustment Charge are already applied or included in the base rate. The above Bunker amounts are effective December 1, 2025.

NOTE 6:  Yang Ming calls the above surcharge the New Bunker Charge, Tariff Rule No. 10-AH.

NOTE 7:  ZIM calls the above surcharge the New Bunker Factor – Far East (NBF), Tariff Rule No. 010-NB. The above bunker amounts have been effective since May 1, 2025.

NOTE 8:  Subject to Low Sulphur Fuel Charge (LSF or LSS).

NOTE 9:  Updated on a monthly basis.

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

Several carriers serving the East Asia/USA trade lanes (U.S. Imports) have adjusted fuel surcharges effective January 1 through March 31, 2026. Details are as follows.

NOTE 1:  CMA CGM calls the above surcharge the Bunker Adjustment Factor Surcharge (BAF03), Tariff Rule No. 010.08. Low Sulphur Surcharge IMO2020 (LSS20) is not applicable at this time.

NOTE 2:  COSCO calls the above surcharge the Bunker Charge (BUC), Tariff Rule No. 010-003.

NOTE 3: HMM calls the above charge the Bunker Charge, tariff Rule 2-63. HMM also filed in its FMC tariff Rule 2-95, Environmental Compliance Charge (ECC), effective January 1, 2026. The ECC amounts are USD 80/89/100/113 per 20/40/40HC/45ft, respectively, for destination USWC/USWC Local/IPI/MLB; and USD 144/160/180/203 per 20/40/40HC/45ft, respectively, for destination USEC (all water)/USGC/RIPI.

NOTE 4:  ONE calls the above surcharge the ONE Bunker Surcharge (OBS). Any reference to Bunker Adjustment Factor (BAF) or Fuel Adjustment Factor (FAF) within a duly filed service contract shall be construed as referencing the same surcharge as ONE Bunker Surcharge (OBS) as detailed within Tariff Rule No. 102.001, whether as an exception or as a reference to this charge.

NOTE 5:  OOCL calls the above surcharge the Fuel Cost Recovery Charge (T-62). The Fuel Cost Recovery Charge will not apply to shipments when Bunker Surcharge and/or Low Sulphur Fuel Surcharge and/or Low Sulphur Adjustment Charge are already applied or included in the base rate. The above Bunker amounts are effective December 1, 2025.

NOTE 6:  ZIM calls the above surcharge the New Bunker Factor – Far East (NBF), Tariff Rule No. 010-NB. Service contract cargoes subject to Carrier’s published BAF and/or EBS shall not be subject to NBF.

NOTE 7:  Subject to Low Sulphur Fuel Charge (LSF or LSS).

NOTE 8:  Updated on a monthly basis.

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

Several leading carriers serving the Transpacific container trades have recently updated their respective tariffs to include new General Rate Increases (GRIs) effective December 15, 2025, 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 December 15th GRIs will be the twenty-fourth GRI of 2025 for the East Asia/USA trade lane. 

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 January 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 January 1st GRIs will be the first GRI of 2026 for the East Asia/USA trade lane. 

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.