The National Industrial Transportation League, the nation's largest shipper organization, said it "greatly appreciates and strongly favors the underlying pro-competitive regulatory reform principles set forth in H.R. 6167, The Shipping Act of 2010."

The NIT League's support came a week after the bill was introduced by Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn., chairman of the House's Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., chairman of the committee's Coast Guard and Maritime Subcommittee. The proposed law would prevent liner carriers from discussing or agreeing upon rates and charges, including guidelines that form the basis of pricing services for their customers, and enact a host of other changes.

"The bill recognizes that increased competition, reliability and market driven efficiencies are necessary for services provided by the liner carriers in the U.S.-international trades," said NIT League President Bruce Carlton. "These are all principles that our members have long favored."

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