WASHINGTON: US regulators are reviewing a proposed agreement between two marine terminal operators at the Port of Miami that would allow the terminals to jointly negotiate terms and conditions with container lines — a first for the United States. Although the port of Seattle and Tacoma came together operationally as the Northwest Seaport Alliance in 2015, this is the first time two marine terminals have sought the Federal Maritime Commission’s blessing to create their own alliance. Miami’s South Florida Container Terminal and Port of Miami Terminal Operating Company want to jointly negotiate, set, and approve terminal rates, charges, rules, and regulations, and rates of return between the terminals.
The terminals’ request parallels the vessel-sharing agreements container lines have formed to pool their cargo in larger ships in order to mitigate overcapacity and broaden their networks. Through the alliances, the container lines still compete with fellow members, and are forbidden from jointly marketing, selling, or contracting with third-parties, such as tug operators and stevedores.
According to FMC Commissioner William Doyle, agreements such as that in Miami are a direct response to the Ocean Alliance, a VSA between China Cosco Lines, Evergreen Line, CMA CGM, and Orient Overseas Container Line set to take sail in April. “Since the Ocean Alliance is allowed to jointly negotiate as an alliance with marine terminals who agree to do so, some marine terminal operators and port authorities may want to explore options for entering into their own alliances where they could jointly negotiate terms and conditions with the ocean carriers,” Doyle said at a North Atlantic Port Association meeting outside of Washington, DC. last week.
