Glossary

Federal Maritime Commission (FMC)

The FMC (Federal Maritime Commission) is the U.S. agency responsible for the regulation of ocean transportation.

Flexport

Ready to Get Started?

Flexport makes shipping your cargo transparent, reliable, and affordable.

What is the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC)?

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) is an independent U.S. agency responsible for regulating foreign and inter-coastal ocean commerce shipping via U.S. ports. The FMC regulates both VOCCs (Vessel Operating Common Carriers) and NVOCCs (Non-vessel Operating Common Carriers).

The purpose of the FMC is to maintain fair competition in ocean transportation for the sake of the shipping public; for example, Flexport uses NRAs to remain FMC-compliant.