The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) is investigating global shipping chokepoints, examining whether foreign laws, regulations, or practices are disrupting U.S. trade. The international shipping lanes under review are the English Channel, the Malacca Strait, the Northern Sea Passage, the Singapore Strait, the Panama Canal, the Strait of Gibraltar, and the Suez Canal.

The FMC warned that vessels from nations causing trade disruptions could be banned from entering U.S. ports. “Remedial measures the Commission can take in issuing regulations to address conditions unfavorable to shipping in U.S. foreign trade include refusing entry to U.S. ports by vessels registered in countries responsible for creating unfavorable conditions,” the FMC said in a released statement.

Global trade has faced significant shifts in recent months. New tariffs, proposed charges on Chinese-built ships, and U.S. claims on the Panama Canal have raised tensions. A Hartland Shipping report noted that weak spot earnings and geopolitical instability have made forecasting nearly impossible.

Source: splash247.com