[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 156 (Monday, August 15, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 47876]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-16012]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Maritime Administration

[Docket MARAD-2005-22095]


Farrell Lines Incorporated; Request for Comments Regarding the 
Proposed Purchase of Royal P & O Nedlloyd, N.V. by A.P. Moller--Maersk 
A/S and Its Impact on the Maritime Security Program (MSP)

    By letter dated August 2, 2005, A.P. Moller--Maersk, A/S (APMM) 
advised the Maritime Administration of its intention to purchase Royal 
P & O Nedlloyd, N.V. (PONL). PONL, a Dutch consortium, is the ultimate 
parent corporation of Farrell Lines Incorporated (Farrell). Farrell has 
been awarded five new MSP Operating Agreements, Nos. MA/MSP-62 through 
66, respectively, for the vessels CHESAPEAKE BAY, DELAWARE BAY, 
ENDEAVOR, ENDURANCE and ENTERPRISE for the participation of those 
vessels, or their replacements, in the MSP beginning October 1, 2005.
    APMM, a Danish consortium, is the ultimate parent company of Maersk 
Line, Limited (Maersk). Maersk is currently the holder of 19 MSP 
Operating Agreements, Nos. MA/MSP-24 through 27 and MA/MSP 29 through 
43, covering the operation of the vessels MAERSK MISSOURI, MAERSK 
VIRGINIA, MAERSK GEORGIA, MAERSK CAROLINA, SEALAND ACHIEVER, SEALAND 
FLORIDA, SEALAND PRIDE, SEALAND MOTIVATOR, SEALAND COMMITMENT, SEA-LAND 
ATLANTIC, SEA-LAND CHARGER, MAERSK ALABAMA, SEA-LAND LIGHTNING, SEA-
LAND METEOR, MAERSK ARKANSAS, SEA-LAND INTREPID, SEALAND COMET, SEA-
LAND PERFORMANCE and SEA-LAND QUALITY, respectively. Maersk has also 
been awarded 19 new MSP Operating Agreements, Nos. MA/MSP-79 through 
97, to continue participation of its vessels in the MSP beginning 
October 1, 2005.
    Implementation of APMM's proposed purchase will place 24 of the 60 
vessels authorized under the new MSP program to be implemented on 
October 1, 2005, under the ownership or control of APMM. It should be 
noted that Farrell will continue to be the holder of those MSP 
Operating Agreements it now holds.
    The purchase of PONL by APMM will, in effect, transfer ultimate 
ownership of Farrell from one foreign corporate entity to another. The 
transaction requires MARAD approval under Farrell's MSP Operating 
Agreements Nos. MA/MSP-62 through 66. This notice is being published as 
a matter of discretion. MARAD will consider all comments on this 
particular application, and the general topic of MSP Operating 
Agreement transfers, submitted in a timely fashion, and will take such 
action thereto as may be deemed appropriate.
    A redacted copy of this proposal will be available for inspection 
at the Department of Transportation (DOT) Dockets Facility and on the 
DOT Dockets website (address information follows). Any person, firm or 
corporation having an interest in this proposal, and desiring to submit 
comments concerning the transaction, may file comments as follows. You 
should mention the docket number that appears at the top of this notice 
in any submission. Written comments should be submitted to the Docket 
Clerk, U.S. DOT Dockets, Room PL-401, Nassif Building, U.S. Department 
of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590. 
Comments may also be submitted by electronic means via the Internet at 
http://dmses.dot.gov/submit/. You may call Docket Management at (202) 
366-9324. You may visit the docket room to inspect and copy comments at 
the above listed address between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. e.d.t., Monday 
through Friday, except holidays. An electronic version of this document 
is available on the World Wide Web at http://dms.dot.gov. Comments must 
be received by close of business August 25, 2005.
    This notice is published as a matter of discretion, and the fact of 
its publication should in no way be considered a favorable or 
unfavorable decision on the proposed transaction, as filed, or as it 
may be amended.

    Dated: August 9, 2005.

    By Order of the Maritime Administration.
Joel C. Richard,
Secretary, Maritime Administration.
[FR Doc. 05-16012 Filed 8-12-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-81-P