[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 152 (Thursday, August 7, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47019-47020]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-20178]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Foreign-Trade Zones Board

[Docket 37-2003]


Foreign-Trade Zone 82--Mobile, AL; Request for Manufacturing 
Authority, Bender Shipbuilding and Repair Company (Shipbuilding)

    An application has been submitted to the Foreign-Trade Zones Board 
(the Board) by the City of Mobile, Alabama, grantee of FTZ 82, pursuant 
to Section 400.28(a)(2) of the Board's regulations (15 CFR part 400), 
requesting authority on behalf of Bender Shipbuilding and Repair 
Company (Bender) to construct and repair oceangoing vessels under FTZ 
procedures within FTZ 82. It was formally filed on July 29, 2003.
    The Bender facility is used for the construction, repair, and 
conversion of commercial and military vessels for domestic and 
international customers. Foreign components that may be used at the 
shipyard (up to 20% of finished vessel value) include: plastic tubes/
pipes/hoses/fittings/closures/cases/bags/crates, rubber mats/gaskets/o-
rings/seals/dock fenders/knobs/dampeners, knotted rope/twine, glass 
fibers, articles of glass, steel mill products (must be admitted under 
privileged foreign status (19 CFR 146.41)), steel and iron pipe/tube/
profiles/casings/fittings, bridges and bridge sections, roofing, 
siding, flooring, cooking appliances, hangers, copper and brass bar/
rods/profiles, aluminum plate/sheet/strip/bar/profiles/tube/wire, 
articles of aluminum (bridge sections and structures, roofing, 
guttering, siding, tanks, reservoirs, drums, cans, cable, frames, 
fasteners, hangers), metal hinges, pneumatic cylinders, door closers, 
pumps, air conditioners, fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems, air 
cleaners, de/humidifiers, trash compactors, valves, transmissions and 
related parts, gears, flywheels, pulleys, propellers, transformers, 
converters, inductors, radar apparatus, television equipment, smoke 
detectors, alarms, indicator panels, printed circuits, electrical 
switches/relays/fuses/surge suppressors/connectors/terminals, 
generators, lamps, wiring harnesses, fiber optic cable, navigational 
equipment, thermostats, monostats, regulators, controllers, lamps, and 
lighting fixtures (2003 duty rates: free--14.3%).
    FTZ procedures would exempt Bender from Customs duty payments on 
the foreign components (except steel mill products) used in export 
activity. On its domestic sales, the company

[[Page 47020]]

would be able to choose the duty rate that applies to finished 
oceangoing vessels (duty free) for the foreign-origin components noted 
above. Duties would be deferred or reduced on foreign production 
equipment admitted by Bender to the zone until which time it becomes 
operational. The manufacturing activity conducted under FTZ procedures 
would be subject to the ``standard shipyard restriction'' applicable to 
foreign-origin steel mill products (e.g., angles, pipe, plate), which 
requires that Customs duties be paid on such items. The application 
indicates that the savings from FTZ procedures would help improve the 
facility's international competitiveness.
    Public comment on the application is invited from interested 
parties. Submissions (original and three copies) shall be addressed to 
the Board's Executive Secretary at the following addresses:
    1. Submissions via Express/Package Delivery Services: Foreign-Trade 
Zones Board, U.S. Department of Commerce, Franklin Court Building-Suite 
4100W, 1099 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005; or,
    2. Submissions via the U.S. Postal Service: Foreign-Trade Zones 
Board, U.S. Department of Commerce, FCB-4100W, 1401 Constitution Ave., 
NW, Washington, DC 20230.
    The closing period for their receipt is September 22, 2003. 
Rebuttal comments in response to material submitted during the 
foregoing period may be submitted during the subsequent 15-day period 
to October 6, 2003.
    A copy of the application will be available for public inspection 
at the Office of the Foreign-Trade Zones Board's Executive Secretary at 
address No.1 listed above.

    Dated: July 29, 2003.
Pierre V. Duy,
Acting Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 03-20178 Filed 8-6-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-D8-P