Appeals Court Backs FMC in Landmark Detention Charges Ruling Against Evergreen

A federal appeals court has upheld a closely watched Federal Maritime Commission ruling against Evergreen Marine over container detention charges, in a decision that could reinforce regulatory scrutiny of carrier fee practices and strengthen the Commission’s “freight fluidity” standard.

In a decision issued Tuesday, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied Evergreen’s petition for review and upheld an FMC order finding the carrier acted unreasonably by charging a trucker detention fees during a three-day closure of the Port of Savannah.

The dispute stemmed from a relatively small $510 charge, but the stakes reached far