EAST COAST SOUTH AMERICA/U.S. CARRIER GROUP EXPANDS
Mediterranean Shipping Co., Evergreen and P&O Nedlloyd have
joined the East Coast of South America Discussion Agreement, a spokesman for the agreement
said.
The discussion agreement is a group of ocean carriers in the East Coast
South America/U.S. liner trade which, unlike a conference, does not have the authority to
make decisions on freight rates.
The former Inter-American Freight Conference, previously responsible
for setting common rates in the U.S./East Coast South America trade, was dissolved in
July.
In U.S. trades, discussion agreements are seen as having replaced
conferences, many of which have closed since the enactment of the Ocean Shipping Reform
Act in May.
Details of the membership of the East Coast of South America Discussion
Agreement and other discussion and stabilization agreements are posted on the ComPairData
global shipping database at http://www.compairdata.com.