Federal Maritime Commission Reauthorization Act of 2025

The bill would reauthorize the Federal Maritime Commission at $49.2 million for each of FY2026 and FY2027. It would expand the legal definition of "controlled carrier" — a category of ocean shipping companies subject to heightened regulatory scrutiny — to include carriers owned by, or financially linked to, corporations based in nonmarket economy countries or countries on the U.S. Trade Representative's priority watch list or monitoring list. It would require the commission to accept and investigate public complaints about anticompetitive practices by registered shipping exchanges, and to report findings to Congress. It would also establish a National Port Advisory Committee and a National Ocean Carrier Advisory Committee to advise the commission alongside the existing National Shipper Advisory Committee.

The bill would prohibit the commission from disclosing information or documents developed during enforcement investigations unless a majority of commissioners votes to release them as relevant to a proceeding. It would require the commission to issue an advance notice of proposed rulemaking within one year and a final rule within three years governing how shipping exchanges acquire and use data to develop containerized freight price indexes for U.S. shippers. It would also update data collection rules to prevent the commission from duplicating information already reported to other federal agencies.

The Federal Maritime Commission and its staff, who gain expanded investigative and reporting mandates; ocean carriers — particularly those with corporate ties to China or other nonmarket economies — who would face broader "controlled carrier" oversight; U.S. importers and exporters who use registered shipping exchanges to arrange cargo transportation; marine terminal operators and port authorities who would gain representation on the new Port Advisory Committee; and longshore and maritime labor organizations with seats on that committee.

Carriers linked to nonmarket economies, particularly Chinese state-connected shipping companies, could face significantly greater regulatory scrutiny over their rates and practices. Businesses that rely on shipping exchanges for freight pricing would gain new complaint rights and could see future rules governing how those exchanges set price indexes. Enforcement targets would also benefit from stronger protections against premature disclosure of investigation files.

The commission would incorporate the expanded controlled-carrier definition into existing oversight reviews and begin accepting shipping-exchange complaints on enactment. Within one year, it must publish an advance notice of proposed rulemaking on containerized freight price indexes; a final rule must follow within three years. Two new advisory committees for ports and ocean carriers would be constituted through commission appointments and would advise alongside the existing shipper committee under unified administration rules. Annual reports to Congress would gain new sections on anticompetitive practices, trade imbalances, and carrier audit results. Releasing enforcement investigation materials would require an affirmative majority commission vote.