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Regulatory Compliance
Transportation service providers in U.S. international and domestic transporation are subject to regulatory compliance on multiple fronts. Smart compliance with the relevant regulations can results in improved service availability and avoidance of potential delays penalties.
Economic regulation agencies with focused expertise on business practice impact on cargo interest and other service components include
in international maritime (FMC), domestic motor carrier (FMCSA) and rail carriers (STB) services ensure fairness in transportation.
Service and process regulation agencies in the U.S. oversee focused jurisdictions including:
1) Customs/tariff matters (CBP) including the cargo declarations and duties, the Convention for Cargo Containers (CCC) which covers IIT bonds and time limits for containers remaining in country before departure or domestication;
2) Container safety (USCG), including the application of the Convention of Safe Containers (CSC), and Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) including verified gross mass (VGM);
3) Commercial motor vehicle registration and safety inspections (FMCSA) including MCS-150 and roadability to ensure safety of commercial vehicles and intermodal equipment while in service.
4) Plant protection and invasive pest control (APHIS), and other agencies around the world help ensure transportation and supply chain participants meet national and international service and process regulatory requirements.
5) Additionally, government-industry cooperative efforts have resulted in the establishment of numerous best practices including IMO/ILO/UNECE CTU Code for packing cargo in containers and other cargo transport units, the Cargo Securing Manual,
Commercial Compliance
Industry compliance standards and best practices are established by organnizations such as the:
1) Uniform Intermodal Interchange and Facilities Access Agreement (UIIA), hosted by the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) that provides equipment interchange rules between motor carriers and certain equipment providers (ocean carriers, railroads, and equipment leasinng companies);
2) Standard Carrier Alpha Code (SCAC ), hosted by National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA), that issues unique codes to motor carriers that is used by U.S. government agencies including FMCSA and CBP;
3) Intermodal Trailer and Container Securement Manual, hosted by the American Association's (AAR) Transportation Technology Center, Inc., providing recommended practices for securing
4) Recommended container and chassis inspection and repair proceedures for leased containers developed by the Institute of International Container Lessors (IICL)
5) Verified Gross Mass of containers recommended practices prepared by the World Shipping Council (WSC) and separately by CEFIC/CLECAT/ESC/GSF that outline compliance proceedures for SOLAS Methods 1 and 2.
Intermodal Equipment Safety Compliance
Intermodal chassis are subject to physical condition and operational safety standards established by the FMCSA and State Agencies. Equipment is required to be inspected on a trip basis (FMCSA) as well annually on a federal (FMCSA) basis, and periodically on a state basis e.g. California BIT.
Intermodal containers are built to international specifications, and maintained to minimum operational conditions through the use of regular inspections as well as episodic examinations under the IMO hosted Convention for Safe Containers (CSC) which specifies either an Approved Continuous Examination Program (ACEP) or a Periodic Examination Schedule (PES).
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