FMC Suspends Operations Due to Federal Government Shutdown

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC or Commission) is closed effective October 1, 2025, as part of the federal government's shutdown due to a lapse in appropriations. The Commission will resume normal operations when appropriations legislation is enacted, and the federal government reopens.

With the exception of Commissioners Rebecca F. Dye, Daniel B. Maffei, and Max Vekich, who are Presidentially-appointed, Senate-confirmed officials, all Commission employees have been placed on furlough and are prohibited by law from performing any duties during the shutdown. As a result, all Commission functions have been suspended, including the following:

• The Commission will not respond to email or phone inquiries.
• The Commission's website will be available during the shutdown, but it will not be updated with new information until operations resume.
• The SERVCON system will be available for service contract filings; however, the FMC will not process submissions.

• The Commission will not accept online filings or applications through its website for the following:
  • Ocean Transportation Intermediary (OTI) automated applications or license updates (FMC-18);
  • Foreign Unlicensed Non-Vessel-Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC) registrations or renewals (FMC-65);
  • Tariff Registration Forms (FMC-1);
  • eAgreements Filing System (Ocean carrier or marine terminal operator agreements or amendments); and
  • eMonitoring System (Agreement monitoring reports, minutes, transcripts).

• The Commission will not accept filings during this period for:
  • Ocean carrier or marine terminal operator agreements or amendments;
  • Applications for certification of financial responsibility for cruise lines embarking from U.S. ports; or
  • Agreement monitoring reports, minutes, or transcripts.

The Commission's online databases: SERVCON, the Vessel-Operating Common Carrier (VOCC) and NVOCC Tariff List, List of FMC Licensed and Bonded OTIs, and the Agreement Notices & Library will be accessible but will not be updated during the federal government shutdown.

The Commission will not accept or act on complaints or requests for dispute resolution or ombudsman services during the government shutdown.

All filing deadlines in formal and informal adjudicatory and investigatory proceedings pending before the Commission or Administrative Law Judges are temporarily suspended as of 12:01a.m., October 1, 2025. No filings will be processed during the shutdown. All deadlines or time limitations imposed on the Commission for any filed agreements and corresponding dates for agreements and amendments to become effective will also be tolled. Parties should review 46 C.F.R. § 502.101 for information on filing deadlines that are affected by the Commission being inaccessible during a federal government shutdown.

Upon reopening of the federal government and the Federal Maritime Commission, the public is welcome to contact the Office of the Secretary, (202) 523-5725 or [email protected], with any questions about filing deadlines or computation of time in proceedings or filings. Parties are expected to comply with all filing deadlines once the Commission has reopened.

The Commission will resume normal operations upon enactment of appropriations legislation.