The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) collected, after investigating, negotiating agreements and informal settlements, the sum of USD 1,350,000 from civil penalties for violations of its regulations.
The settlements were reached with a vessel-operating common carrier (VOCC) and with a non-vessel-operating common carrier (NVOCC).
One of the settlements was reached, according to the entity, with Hyundai Glovis, Co. Ltd. (Hyundai Glovis), a VOCC based in Seoul, South Korea, that operates in the U.S. foreign trade and globally.
The settlement resolved allegations that Hyundai Glovis violated the Shipping Act through activities that included providing services in the liner trade that were not in accordance with the rates, charges, classifications, rules, and practices contained in Hyundai Glovis’s tariff.
Likewise, the fact of providing services as a common carrier without publishing the corresponding tariffs showing all its current rates and charges was penalized.
The FMC staff alleged that these practices lasted for more than a year and involved numerous shipments. Hyundai Glovis made a payment of USD 1,300,000 in settlement of these allegations.
Another settlement agreement was reached with the NVOCC Olympiad Line LLC (Olympiad) for allegations that Olympiad violated the Shipping Act by providing services in the liner trade that were not in accordance with the rates, charges, classifications, rules, and practices contained in its published tariff.
Olympiad made a payment of USD 50,000 in settlement of these allegations.
The parties agreed to the payment of the civil penalties but did not admit to violations of the Shipping Act or the Commission’s regulations.
The penalty payments are deposited into the U.S. Treasury General Fund, with no portion of the amount remaining in the possession of the FMC.
