Noncontiguous Shipping Reasonable Rate Act of 2024

The Noncontiguous Shipping Reasonable Rate Act of 2024 establishes a new standard for determining reasonable shipping rates in domestic ocean trade between noncontiguous U.S. states, such as Hawaii or Alaska and the contiguous United States. It defines a reasonable rate as one falling within 10 percent of a comparable international ocean rate index recognized by the Federal Maritime Commission. This change directly affects shipping companies operating these routes and the Federal Maritime Commission, which will use this metric to evaluate rate reasonableness. The bill does not create new regulations but provides a specific, measurable benchmark for assessing rates in this specific shipping context.