9 September 2004

NCBFAA: Tariff proposal falls short

The following article is excerpted from the 8 September 2004 edition of “The Journal of Commerce”.

The National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America said Wednesday that a government proposal to allow non-vessel-operating common carriers to file "conditional tariff exemptions" does not go far enough to free NVOs from the "anachronistic rigidity and cost of the tariff publication system."

In comments that it filed with the Federal Maritime Commission, the NCBFAA argued that allowing NVOs to file negotiated rates and essential terms in lieu of service contracts would not serve any public policy objective.

The association comments were in response to "joint supplemental comments" filed by several petitioners, the National Industrial Transportation League and Transportation Intermediaries Association.

Six NVOs have petitioned the FMC for relief from tariff-publication and service contract prohibitions of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act. United Parcel Service filed the first petition a year ago….

The NCBFAA reiterated its original petitions, that the FMC use its exemption authority to relieve NVOs of the tariff filing requirements.