Client Alert
GKG Law Wins Federal Maritime Commission Decision
Affirming Shipping Act Violations and Award of Damages
August 3, 2021
By:
GKG Law’s litigation team recently prevailed on behalf of an ocean shipper in a complaint filed with the Federal Maritime Commission (Commission). The Commission affirmed the initial decision of the administrative law judge finding that the defendant, acting as a non-vessel operating common carrier (NVOCC), had violated the Shipping Act of 1984.
Litigation began in 2017 when GKG filed a complaint asserting that the defendant had violated the Shipping Act by unlawfully acting as an unlicensed NVOCC and unlawfully charging the shipper accessorial charges (e.g., demurrage, detention, etc.) without a published tariff. GKG utilized an ocean freight billing expert and the shipper’s employees as witnesses to establish that defendant had inappropriately billed accessorial charges and had been acting as an unlicensed NVOCC. The Commission awarded the shipper $112,000 in damages plus interest. GKG Law’s Brendan Collins and Kristine Little served as counsel for the firm’s client in this matter.
Please contact us if you have any transportation-related (or other litigation-related) issues. Brendan Collins may be reached by telephone at (202) 342-6793 or by email at bcollins@gkglaw.com; Kristine Little may be contacted at (202) 342-6751 or by email at klittle@gkglaw.com.