Shipping Act of 1984

enactedUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

26 January 1983

Last action

20 March 1984 · President

Status

Became Public Law No: 98-237.

Summary

Shipping Act of 1983 - Makes this Act applicable to agreements by or among ocean common carriers to: (1) discuss, fix, and regulate rates, accommodations, and other conditions of service; (2) pool or apportion traffic, revenues, net losses, or net profits; (3) allot ports or regulate the number and character of sailings between ports; (4) limit or regulate the volume or character of cargo or passenger traffic; (5) engage in exclusive, preferential, or cooperative working arrangements among themselves or marine terminal operators or non- vessel-operating common carriers; (6) control, regulate, or prevent competition in international ocean transportation; and (7) consult and confer with shippers and shippers' councils regarding general rate levels, charges, classifications, rules, practices, or services. Makes this Act applicable to agreements among marine terminal operators, and among such operators and ocean common carriers to: (1) discuss, fix, and regulate rates and other conditions of service; (2) pool or apportion earnings, losses, or traffic; and (3) engage in exclusive, preferential, or cooperative working arrangements. Allows shippers to establish shippers' councils to: (1) mutually consult and exchange information or views regarding rates, charges, classifications, rules, practices, or services; (2) agree upon common positions; (3) consult and confer with ocean common carriers or conferences regarding rate levels, charges, classifications, rules, practices, or services; and (4) consolidate cargo and negotiate time/volume and service contracts with ocean common carriers. Requires that a copy of every applicable agreement be filed with the Federal Maritime Commission, except transportation performance agreements within or between foreign countries. Sets forth requirements for contents of conference agreements (including conferences utilizing loyalty contracts), interconference agreements, shippers' council agreements, and assessment agreements. Describes criteria by which the Commission shall suspend, cancel, or modify such agreements. Authorizes ocean common carriers or conferences engaged in foreign commerce to use loyalty contracts according to specified requirements. Exempts certain agreements, contracts, and activities from the antitrust laws. Directs ocean common carriers and conferences to file with the Commission, and keep open to public inspection, tariffs showing all rates between all points on each carrier's routes. Sets forth procedures for rate changes and refunds of rate charges. Authorizes the use of time/volume rates. Authorizes ocean common carriers or conferences to enter into service contracts with individual shippers or with a shippers council. Prohibits a controlled carrier from maintaining rates in its tariffs that are below a level that is just and reasonable. Describes standards against which such rates shall be disapproved. Provides for Presidential review of any order of suspension or final order of disapproval of rates of a controlled carrier. Exempts specified types of foreign carriers from the provisions of this Act. Requires that ocean freight forwarders be licensed by the Commission. Sets forth circumstances under which ocean freight forwarders may be compensated by common carriers. Sets forth prohibited acts for common carriers, conferences, ocean freight forwarders, and marine terminal operators. Prohibits specified concerted actions. Describes procedures for the investigation and adjudication of complaints alleging a violation of this Act. Sets forth civil penalties for such violations. Declares that orders of the Commission relating to any violation of this Act shall remain in effect for the period of time specified in such order unless suspended, modified, or set aside by the Commission or a court of competent jurisdiction. Authorizes the Commission or the injured party to seek injunctive relief in the appropriate United States district court for the enforcement of Commission orders. Authorizes the Commission to require reports and certificates from persons or entities governed by provisions of this Act. Permits the Commission to exempt any specified activity or class of agreements from provisions of this Act.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

26 January 1983
Introduced
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce.
Source: IntroReferral
26 January 1983
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
Source: IntroReferral
2 February 1983
Committee
Committee on Merchant Marine; Subcommittee on Merchant Marine. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 98-1.
Source: Committee
15 February 1983
Reported
Committee on Commerce. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Source: Committee
17 February 1983
Calendars
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Regular Orders. Calendar No. 13.
Source: Calendars
17 February 1983
Reported
Committee on Commerce. Reported to Senate by Senator Packwood with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Source: Committee
17 February 1983
Reported
Committee on Commerce. Reported to Senate by Senator Packwood with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Source: Committee
22 February 1983
Floor
Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate.
Source: Floor
23 February 1983
Floor
Motion to Proceed considered in Senate.
Source: Floor
24 February 1983
Floor
Motion to Proceed considered in Senate.
Source: Floor
28 February 1983
Floor
Considered by Senate.
Source: Floor
1 March 1983
Floor
Considered by Senate.
Source: Floor
1 March 1983
Vote
Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with amendments by Yea-Nay Vote. 64-33. Record Vote No: 6.
Source: Floor
17 October 1983
ResolvingDifferences
House Requested a Conference and Speaker Appointed Conferees: Jones (NC), Biaggi, Breaux, Hughes, Rodino, Seiberling, Edwards (CA), Feighan, Forsythe, Snyder, Young (AK), Fish, Moorhead.
Source: ResolvingDifferences
17 October 1983
ResolvingDifferences
House Insisted on its Amendments.
Source: ResolvingDifferences
17 October 1983
NotUsed
Resolving differences -- House actions: House Insisted on its Amendments.
Source: NotUsed
17 October 1983
Passed
Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Source: Floor
17 October 1983
Passed
Passed/agreed to in House: Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Source: Floor
17 October 1983
Floor
Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.
Source: Floor
26 October 1983
Passed
Senate disagreed to the House amendment. By Voice Vote.
Source: Floor
26 October 1983
Passed
Resolving differences -- Senate actions: Senate disagreed to the House amendment. By Voice Vote.
Source: NotUsed
26 October 1983
Passed
Senate agreed to request for conference. Appointed conferees. Packwood; Gorton; Stevens; Kasten; Long; Inouye; Thurmond; Hatch; Metzenbaum. (Senators Packwood, Gorton, Stevens, Kasten, Long, and Inouye, representing the Committee on Commerce; and Senators Thurmond, Hatch and Metzenbaum representing the Committee on the Judiciary).
Source: ResolvingDifferences
22 February 1984
Passed
Conferees agreed to file conference report.
Source: ResolvingDifferences
22 February 1984
Passed
Conference committee actions: Conferees agreed to file conference report.
Source: ResolvingDifferences
23 February 1984
Vote
Senate agreed to conference report by Yea-Nay Vote. 74-12. Record Vote No: 17.
Source: ResolvingDifferences
23 February 1984
Vote
Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report by Yea-Nay Vote. 74-12. Record Vote No: 17.
Source: ResolvingDifferences
23 February 1984
ResolvingDifferences
Conference Report 98-600 Filed in House.
Source: ResolvingDifferences
23 February 1984
ResolvingDifferences
Conference report filed: Conference Report 98-600 Filed in House.
Source: ResolvingDifferences
6 March 1984
Passed
House Agreed to Conference Report by Voice Vote.
Source: ResolvingDifferences
6 March 1984
Passed
Conference report agreed to in House: House Agreed to Conference Report by Voice Vote.
Source: ResolvingDifferences
8 March 1984
Floor
Presented to President.
Source: Floor
8 March 1984
President
Presented to President.
Source: President
8 March 1984
Floor
Measure Signed in Senate.
Source: Floor
20 March 1984
Became law
Became Public Law No: 98-237.
Source: President
20 March 1984
Became law
Signed by President.
Source: BecameLaw
20 March 1984
President
Signed by President.
Source: President

Votes

· Official source

Yes 0 · No 0 · Abstain — · Absent/not voting 0

· Official source

Yes 0 · No 0 · Abstain — · Absent/not voting 0

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

6 official files

Public Law (PDF)
Public Law · EN · 21 March 1984
View Download Open at official source
Conference report filed in House
summary · EN · 23 February 1984
Open at official source
Passed House amended
summary · EN · 17 October 1983
Open at official source
Passed Senate amended
summary · EN · 1 March 1983
Open at official source
Reported to Senate with amendment(s)
summary · EN · 17 February 1983
Open at official source
Introduced in Senate
summary · EN · 26 January 1983
Open at official source

Related records

No cross-record relationships stored yet.

Sources

PoliticalRepo is an index and interpretation layer, not the authoritative legal source.

Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/98th-congress/senate-bill/47
Open data entity: https://api.congress.gov/v3/bill/98/s/47
us · 98-s-47 · source updated 14 January 2025