FMC面临重要决策

FMC faces decisions that could impact industry for years

这些最艰难决策或对未来几年的航运业产生深远影响。集装箱班轮业今非昔比,使美国联邦海事委员会（FMC）面临着成立55年来的一些最艰难决策。现任主席马里奥·科德罗（Mario Cordero）与其他四位委员今明两年的反应,或将决定航运业对待一系列事务的方式,包括班轮公司合并、船舶共享协议以及美国港口拥堵等。

Global changes in container shipping are confronting the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission with some of the most difficult decisions in its 55-year history.How FMC Chairman Mario Cordero and his four fellow commissioners respond this year and next could determine how the industry deals with carrier consolidation, the increasing influence of vessel-sharing alliances and U.S. port congestion. Although shippers are urging the FMC to address grievances and provide direction in tackling overall port congestion in the absence of any other leadership coming from Washington, the agency's responses are limited not only by its legal mandate but also differences in opinion among commissioners on how to exercise the power.Triggering more action from the FMC requires formal petitions from the private sector, most notably shippers. Some beneficial cargo owners, for example, complain that marine terminal operators have used congestion surcharges as revenue generators, but the agency has received no formal complaint. The onslaught of ever-larger container ships capable of carrying more than 18,000 20-footequivalent units, as well as the strain they can put on supply chains, has thrust FMC into the spotlight. These issues came to the fore during the West Coast port congestion crisis of 2014-2015, which was precipitated by a showdown during contract negotiations between longshore workers and employers.Port delays added weeks to some end-to-end transit times, underscoring the importance container shipping has on the economy, and played a part in shaving 0.2 percent off of U.S. GDP in the first quarter of 2015, according to the Federal Reserve. Port users' complaints have prompted the Obama administration and Congress to take a closer look at the FMC, an agencylittle-known outside the maritime industry.