Disputes Involving Cargo Shipments.  (Including Household Goods and Personal Effects)

Through the Office of Consumer Affairs & Dispute Resolution Services (CADRS), the Federal Maritime Commission will attempt to informally resolve complaints against individuals and companies to the extent they involve international ocean shipments.  However, some matters beyond the Commission’s purview may be referred to a more suitable governmental or private agency, or returned to the complainant.

Entities subject to the Commission’s jurisdiction include ocean common carriers (i.e., steamship lines); ocean transportation intermediaries (including non-vessel-operating common carriers and ocean freight forwarders); and marine terminal operators. International moving companies are often ocean transportation intermediaries.

For additional information about household goods and personal effects shipments, please visit our FAQs or our Household Goods page.

To the extent available, all complaints should include the following information:

Shipment Information:

Bill of Lading/Dock Receipts/Arrival Notices/Invoices
Description of Cargo:
Origin:
Port of Origin (may be the same as Origin):
Destination:
Port of Destination (may be the same as Destination):
Date of Shipment or Sailing:

Identifying Information  :

Name of Individual(s) filing complaint (if you are Representing a Complainant, 
    what is your name and your relationship to the Complainant):
Company Name of Complainant(s) (if applicable):
Contact Information for Complainant(s) (and/or Representative(s)):
     Please include phone, fax, address including zip code, and Email (if available)
Name of Shipping Company or Party against whom the Complaint is being filed;
Contact Information for that Company or Party, (including Name(s) of -----
Responsible Individuals, phone and fax numbers, address including zip code, and
      Email (if available);

Description of Issue: (include as much information as you believe we will
need when we contact the other party(s) to the complaint).

Desired Solution: (explain what you hope us to help you accomplish – getting cargo released, negotiating a monetary solution, etc.)