MCS Industries went first.
In July 2021 — the same month US President Joe Biden directed regulators to take a hard look at liner operators — the Pennsylvania furniture manufacturer filed a complaint with the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) against shipping giants Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC) and Cosco Shipping Lines.
MCS Industries accused the companies of signing contracts guaranteeing a certain quantity of cargo would be carried in a given price range, before refusing and forcing it into a spot market supercharged by rising demand for consumer goods during the pandemic.
