Lott sidetracks shipping-reform bill. (Senator Trent Lott)

Large shippers and others who want to revise the 1984 Shipping Act and close the Federal Maritime Commission may have to wait till next year.

Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., the Senate majority whip, said he would delay action on the controversial shipping -regulation bill drafted last summerby the National Industrial Transportation League and Sea-Land Service.

Lott's action came in response to a hard line taken by House conference committee members in refusing to include the FMC in an independent board with the Interstate Commerce Commission when Senate and House members met late last year on the ICC termination act.

Lott based his commitment to guide shipping-act reform legislation through the Senate on the condition that …