The petitioners of a joint marine terminal operation in the ports of Savannah and Charleston have withdrawn their proposed agreement from the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission.
Ports America Florida, SSA Atlantic and Ceres Marine Terminals filed the Georgia-South Carolina Marine Terminal Operator Cooperative Working Agreement with the FMC on March 28.
An FMC spokesman confirmed that the agreement has been withdrawn. However, the Shipping Act prohibits the commission from making information and documents related to an agreement public.
American Shipper was unable to secure comments from the three stevedoring companies regarding the agreement’s withdraw prior to press time.
According to the proposed agreement, the three companies planned to consolidate their marine terminal services and stevedoring operations at the ports of Savannah and Charleston, operating under the company name NEWCO.
The three companies stated in the proposed agreement their intention to “meet together, exchange information, consult, discuss, reach agreement about cooperation at the ports, and, subject to the filing and effectiveness provisions of the Shipping Act and implementing regulations of the Federal Maritime Commission, implement or effectuate such agreements.”