Amplifying members’ voices

NAFEM regularly joins forces with other organizations to advance the industry’s perspective with elected and appointed officials. Highlights of recent outreach follow. 

• President Biden and numerous cabinet members received a letter from NAFEM and nearly 200 other organizations calling on the administration to intervene in stalled negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and the U.S. Maritime Association (USMX). The labor contract for all maritime ports along the East and Gulf coasts expires Sept. 30.  

• Fifty trade associations, including NAFEM, wrote to the directors of the National Security and National Economic councils requesting a meeting to discuss how best to partner with the administration to advance positive and proactive U.S. trade policy that benefits all U.S. enterprises and citizens. The secretaries of State, Homeland Security, Commerce, Agriculture, Treasury and the U.S. Trade Representative also received the request.  

• Associations, including NAFEM, representing supply chain stakeholders, urged the Federal Maritime Commission to not extend the effective date of the final rule addressing detention and demurrage billing requirements. The rule took effect May 28, and was an important element of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 for which the organizations, including NAFEM, advocated.