A bill to amend the Shipping Act, 1916, in order to facilitate intermodal transportation and for other purposes.

States that the term 'intermodal carrier' means a common carrier by water, a common carrier certificated under parts I, II, and III of the Interstate Commerce Act or a direct air carrier subject to the Federal Aviation Act, holding itself out as a common carrier to provide through intermodal transportation of property, part of which involves the foreign or domestic offshore waterborne commerce of the United States and part of which involves movements outside of or within the United States, including intercoastal or coastwise water transportation or transportation on the Great Lakes, or transportation within a territory, a district, a possession, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, which carrier does one or more of the following: (1) quotes rates for an intermodal service over a through route, (2) assumes responsibility for the through transportation of such property from place of receipt to place of delivery, (3) utilizes for a portion of the transportation its own facilities and instrumentalities and for a portion of the transportation the underlying facilities and instrumentalities of another common carrier or other common carriers by water, or certificated under parts I, II, or III of the Interstate Commerce Act, or a direct air carrier subject to the Federal Aviation Act, or a carrier operating transportation company located in a foreign country, or enters into arrangements with another such common carrier or common carriers for joint rates or through rates.

Defines 'domestic offshore commerce' as commerce by water on the high seas or the Great Lakes on regular routes from port to port between any State, a territory, a district, a possession, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and any other territory, district, possession, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or between the State of Alaska, or the State of Hawaii, and any State, or between places within a territory, a district, a possession, or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Provides that tariff rates, fares, and charges, and classifications, rules, and regulations explanatory thereof agreed upon by a common carrier by water or conferences of such carriers and any other person subject to this Act whose facilities and instrumentalities are utilized for a portion of the through intermodal transportation of property, and changes and amendments thereto, if otherwise in accordance with law, shall be permitted to take effect without prior approval upon compliance with the publication and filing requirements of the Intercoastal Shipping Act with respect to domestic offshore commerce and with the provisions of any regulations the Commission may adopt.

Provides that an intermodal carrier receiving property for transportation in foreign or domestic offshore commerce shall issue a receipt or bill of lading therefor, and shall be liable to the lawful holder thereof for any loss, damage or injury to such property caused by it or by any underlying carrier or other person to whom such property may be delivered or whose facilities or services may be utilized in such transportation. Provides that the intermodal carrier's liability to the holder of the receipt or bill of lading shall be determined according to the laws pursuant to which the liability of the ocean carrier is determined.

States that this Act shall not be construed to affect the power or jurisdiction of the Interstate Commerce Commission with respect to commerce between the forty-eight contiguous States and carriers operating pursuant to operating authorities issued by such Commission.