BREACH OF CONTRACT

Maersk and subsidiary Hamburg Süd have become embroiled in a legal battle in the United States with one of their customers, Florida-based furniture importer OJ Commerce (OJC). OJC is the umpteenth American company in a short time that has approached the national maritime regulator FMC (Federal Maritime Commission) to file an official complaint against a container shipping company.

The accusations that the furniture importer is throwing at Maersk and Hamburg Süd are also similar to charges that other shipping companies from the US have already filed against various container shipping companies. Maersk/Hamburg Süd would not have delivered the transport services at certain container rates that had been contractually agreed, forcing the furniture importer to hire containers on the much more expensive spot market at the time.

The shipper from Florida accuses the shipowners of taking advantage of difficult market conditions to make as much profit as possible themselves.