Today’s 14:00 Freight Pulse: New Shipping Law Shifts Explained in Under 3 Minutes

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has officially turned the tide on predatory billing. As of June 2026, the Final Rule on Demurrage and Detention (D&D) billing is fully operational, fundamentally changing how ocean carriers and terminal operators invoice your cargo. If you aren't auditing your invoices against these new standards, you’re leaving money on the table.

The New Billing Reality

The days of "mystery invoices" are over. Carriers can no longer send generic bills to any party in the supply chain. Under the current rule, billing is strictly limited to parties with a direct contractual relationship to the shipment. This prevents truckers and 3rd-party providers from being held hostage for charges they didn't accrue. Furthermore, every invoice must now include mandatory data fields: container numbers, specific accrual periods, and clear instructions for disputes.

Timelines You Can’t Ignore

The 2026 contract cycle is the first where shippers have full leverage to challenge non-compliant invoices. Carriers have a 30-day window to issue an invoice after charges stop accruing. Once received, you have exactly 30 days to file a dispute. If an invoice lacks the required FMC data: like the breakdown of free time versus chargeable days: it is technically invalid. In the current 2026 peak season, managing these D&D costs is often more critical to your bottom line than the base freight rate itself.

Protect Your Bottom Line

To stay ahead, ensure your operations team is capturing gate-in/gate-out times and terminal appointment data in real-time. This documentation is your primary weapon during a dispute. At Lanta Logistics, we provide the 3PL Maryland expertise and Mid-Atlantic fulfillment infrastructure needed to navigate these regulatory shifts without slowing down your distribution.

Stop overpaying for terminal inefficiencies: partner with a Glen Burnie warehouse that understands the law. Contact Lanta Logistics today to streamline your supply chain and eliminate unfair D&D fees.