The U.S. Congress will look into the impact the global SOLAS container weight rule will have on exporters next week, the latest sign of how some shippers’ frustration with the rule is mounting ahead of the July 1 deadline.
A House subcommittee on April 14 will hear from representatives of the Agriculture Transportation Coalition, a fierce opponent of the International Maritime Organization rule; the U.S. Coast Guard, the agency tasked with implemented the amendment to the Safety at Sea convention; and the World Shipping Council, which pushed for the rule for its members that control 90 percent of the world’s liner capacity.
Although the amendment to the Safety of Life at Sea Convention approved in 2014 has been raised at several congressional hearings, the April 14 hearing titled, “Maritime Transportation Safety and Stewardship Programs,” is the first time the issue will come front and center on Capitol Hill. Issues other than SOLAS are expected to also be discussed, according to three people close to the matter.
