Senate Passes Shipping-Law Rewrite to Ease Path of U.S. Exports

The Senate passed legislation to enhance regulators’ power to oversee ocean shippers and to stop carriers from unreasonably refusing U.S. exports.

The bipartisan bill (S. 3580), which the chamber passed by voice vote on Thursday, would update ocean shipping rules. Senators say the measure would ease backlogged ports and help U.S. exporters get their goods abroad.

Lawmakers have sought to address exporters’ complaints during the pandemic that carriers were sending empty boxes back to Asia, instead of carrying U.S. exports.

“I am glad we are making progress to getting this legislation done. The sooner, the better,” Senate Majority ...