FIATA
International Federation of
Freight Forwarders Associations
The global voice of freight logistics

FBL Webinar, ICC Guidance, Key Regulatory Developments and FIATA Events Updates

FIATA e-flash
9 February 2026

International Trade and Law: Free webinar on the FBL

Join the free webinar The Negotiable FIATA Multimodal Transport Bill of Lading (FBL): Practical, Legal and Insurance Considerations on 12 February at 9:00 COT/15:00 CET for a focused, one-hour webinar co-hosted by the Federación Colombiana de Agentes Logísticos en Comercio Internacional (FITAC) and FIATA.

The session will feature Ms Andrea Tang, FIATA Legal Services Director and will provide a clear and practical introduction to the Negotiable FIATA Multimodal Transport Bill of Lading (FBL), highlighting its main features and relevance for freight forwarders in today’s international logistics environment. It will show how the FBL is used in practice and how it supports operational clarity, legal certainty, and recognised professional standards. The webinar will also include an overview of insurance requirements, covering important considerations for the correct and effective use of the FBL and its role in supporting sound risk management.

This webinar is ideal for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of the FBL, ensure compliance with insurance requirements, or stay current with international logistics standards. The format is concise, practical, and leaves space for questions and discussion.

Reserve your spot and gain insights you can apply immediately.

Register now!

FIATA World Congress: Ethiopian Authorities Support Commitment to the 2027 FIATA World Congress

From left to right: Mr Goitom Asfaw, EFFSAA Board Member; Dr Stéphane Graber, FIATA Director General; Dr Alemu Sime, Minister of Transport and Logistics of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia; Mr Dhenge Boru Kosi, State Minister of Transport and Logistics of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia; Mr Dawit Woubishet, FIATA Airfreight Institute Chair and EFFSAA President.

Under the auspices of the Minister of Transport, Dr Alemu Sime, and the State Minister for Transport and Logistics, Mr Dhenge Boru Kosi, the Ethiopian Freight Forwarders and Shipping Agents Association (EFFSAA) has formally committed to delivering the first FIATA World Congress of FIATA's new century in 2027. The officials served as witnesses at the signing ceremony, underscoring the strong institutional support behind Ethiopia’s hosting of this landmark global event for the freight forwarding community - building on over three years of engagement by FIATA with national authorities and industry stakeholders.

The meeting also provided a timely platform for in-depth discussions with the Minister of Transport on the new United Nations Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents, adopted last December. This convention represents a meaningful step forward for multimodal logistics, with particular relevance for landlocked economies, and directly reflects the legal and digital reform agenda being advanced in the lead-up to the Congress.

It was also agreed that a dedicated task force would be established to oversee the convention’s implementation in Ethiopia, bringing together all relevant stakeholders following an earlier discussion with the CEO of Ethiopian Shipping and Logistics Services, Eng. Abdulber Shemsu. The initiative will focus on deploying the digital negotiable FIATA Multimodal Transport Bill of Lading (eFBL) under the provisions of the new Negotiable Cargo Document Convention within a multimodal transport framework, working closely with customs authorities and the local banking sector. The project should also involve the Ethio-Djibouti Standard Gauge Railway Share Company (EDR), whose CEO, Eng. Takele Uma Banti, has already confirmed his full support. This approach aims to translate policy dialogue into concrete pilot projects that can be showcased internationally in 2027.

FIATA expresses its sincere appreciation to the Ethiopian authorities for their consistent and high-level support of the 2027 FIATA World Congress and for their engagement in the broader process of logistics modernisation already underway, a journey that Dr Stéphane Graber, FIATA Director General, recently discussed in an interview with Capital in Ethiopia. The interview offers further insight into how the congress fits within a longer-term partnership with Ethiopian authorities and industry, exploring FIATA’s ongoing work to strengthen multimodal logistics, digitalisation and legal frameworks in support of a more resilient and competitive logistics ecosystem. Read the full interview here.

FIATA looks forward to contributing actively to the strengthening of logistics systems across Africa, with Ethiopia emerging as a compelling example of forward-looking policies, innovation, and effective collaboration.

Digitalisation: WCO Technology Conference 2026

From 28–30 January 2026, FIATA, in its capacity as a member of the World Customs Organization Private Sector Consultative Group (PSCG) and as a permanent WCO observer, attended the WCO Technology Conference in Abu Dhabi. The conference brought together customs administrations, international organisations and private-sector stakeholders to examine how data, technology and governance are reshaping modern border management.

A consistent message throughout the conference was that technology alone is not sufficient. Successful digitalisation requires clear governance structures, well-defined mandates, trust between stakeholders and effective communication channels—both within customs administrations and across borders.

Key discussions focused on:

  • End-to-end, risk-based border management, using early and real-time data to prevent diversion, enhance security and support trusted trade;
  • The limitations of 100% cargo scanning, and the need for layered, intelligence-driven approaches combining non-intrusive inspection, AI and human expertise;
  • The growing importance of digital trade corridors, with customs-to-customs and government-to-government data exchange improving efficiency, while continuing challenges remain around interoperability, data security and sovereignty;
  • The role of neutral third parties in enabling trusted and secure cross-border data flows;
  • The need to measure the impact of trade reforms in real time and to break down data silos through stronger multi-agency collaboration.

The conference reinforced a clear takeaway—closely aligned with FIATA’s work—that the future of modern border operations lies in trusted digital data, robust governance frameworks and genuine public-private co-creation, ensuring that innovation supports both security and trade facilitation. FIATA will continue to actively support this agenda through its engagement with the WCO, customs administrations, the PSCG and industry partners, promoting interoperable solutions and practical frameworks that enable secure and efficient global trade.

Maritime: FMC Issues USD 22.67 Million in Civil Penalties Against MSC for Demurrage, Detention, and Tariff Violations

The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) has assessed USD 22.67 million in civil penalties against MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A.. The decision follows the initial decision of the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) and covers three categories of violations of the Shipping Act over the course of several years identified by the Commission’s Bureau of Enforcement, Investigations, and Compliance (BEIC), which investigated and prosecuted the matter:

  1. Improper Demurrage and Detention Billing to “Notify Parties”: The FMC affirmed the ALJ’s finding that MSC’s use of its “merchant clause” during the period 2018-2020 violated 46 U.S.C. § 41102(c), by billing customs agents listed only as notify parties, despite their not being involved in the movement of the cargo. The assessed civil penalties for these violations totalled USD 65,000.
  2. Failure to Publish Tariff Provisions for Non‑Operating Reefers (NORs): The FMC affirmed the ALJ’s finding that MSC had violated 46 U.S.C. § 40501 from 2021 to 2023 by omitting required statements of fees for NORs from its published tariff. The FMC determined that the violation became knowing and willful from March 2022, when MSC informed the Commission it would update its tariff yet failed to do so. The assessed civil penalties for those violations totalled USD 9,460,000.
  3. Overcharging of Demurrage and Detention on NORs (2021): The FMC held that MSC had violated 46 U.S.C. § 41102(c) by overcharging its customers demurrage and detention fees for use of its NORs, which constituted an unreasonable practice within the meaning of § 41102(c), reversing the ALJ’s determination that MSC’s “billing system” mistake did not constitute a violation of the Shipping Act. For this conduct the Commission assessed a penalty of USD 5,000 per violation, or a total of USD 13,145,000.

This decision marks one of the FMC’s largest penalty assessments in recent years and sends a clear message regarding the Commission’s heightened scrutiny of demurrage and detention billing practices and carrier compliance with the Shipping Act. These findings strongly reflect the position long advocated by FIATA regarding fairness, transparency, and accountability in demurrage and detention practices, as found in FIATA’s Best Practice Guide on Demurrage and Detention in Container Shipping, and as raised by FIATA to the FMC. The MSC case underscores the importance of such regulatory approaches to uphold reasonable practices across the maritime supply chain. FIATA will continue supporting members and advocating internationally for clear, harmonised, and justifiable D&D regimes.

For further information, please consult FIATA's FMC Final Rule on Demurrage and Detention Toolkit and the FIATA Quick Guide on the US FMC Final Rule on Demurrage and Detention Billing Practices. The FMC’s news release can be found here: MSC Assessed Civil Penalties Totaling $22.67 Million - Federal Maritime Commission

Trade Documents: New ICC Guidance on Surrendered Bills of Lading

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Banking Commission has released the Technical Advisory Briefing No. 17 on the handling of “surrendered” bills of lading under documentary credits subject to UCP 600. The guidance is relevant for freight forwarders involved in documentary credit transactions, particularly where cargo release takes place before documents are presented to banks.

The Briefing clarifies that a “surrendered bill of lading” reflects the status of the original bill, rather than a separate document type, and highlights the risks created by vague credit wording. It also provides practical guidance for both paper and electronic bills of lading, including how surrender or release should be evidenced in an electronic environment.

The full briefing is available on the ICC Digital Library.

FIATA will continue to monitor developments in this area and share updates with its Members.

2026 FIATA-REU Field Meeting: United for Regional Progress in Logistics

FIATA is pleased to announce that the 2026 FIATA-Region Europe (REU) Field Meeting will take place in Bucharest, Romania, within the framework of the South Eastern Freight Forwarders Association Congress (SEEFF), taking place 18-20 May 2026, hosted by the Union of Freight Forwarders’ Associations in Romania (USER).

Following the successful launch of the FIATA-REU Field Meeting, this second edition will once again provide a dedicated forum for FIATA Association Members in Europe to exchange views on regional priorities, policy developments, and strategic challenges affecting the freight forwarding industry.

The joint SEEFF & 2026 FIATA-REU Field Meeting under the theme "United for Regional Progress in Logistics" will position Bucharest as a key meeting point for regional and international stakeholders at a time when supply chains are being reshaped by geopolitical uncertainty, regulatory developments, and accelerated digitalisation. 

The 2026 edition is marked by several important anniversaries, including 30 years of SEEFF, 25 years since Romania last hosted the SEEFF Congress, and 100 years of FIATA. Together, these milestones reiterate the strategic importance of the Bucharest meeting as a moment for reflection and forward-looking dialogue.

Discussions throughout the event will focus on supply chain resilience, the digitalisation of transport documents, intermodal transport development, fraud prevention in road transport, and adaptation to evolving European regulatory frameworks. The event is expected to bring together representatives from freight forwarding associations, logistics and transport companies across all modes, public authorities, and industry experts from across Europe and beyond.

The programme and the list of confirmed speaker is available here.

Register now for the 2026 FIATA-REU Field Meeting

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